International Shift Worker Sunday Date in the current year: November 24, 2024

Shift work is a common employment practice designed to keep a service or production line operational beyond the standard 9-to-5 schedule or even round-the-clock. It usually sees the day split into set periods of time (shifts) during which different groups of employees perform their duties. Eight-hour shifts and twelve-hour shifts are the most common, but emergency services and healthcare may have twenty-four-hour shifts.

Shift work originated in industrial manufacturing in the late 18th century, but today there are many industries that employ workers on a shift basis. Service industries (retail stores, restaurants, coffee shops, etc.) have their employees work in shifts to be able to stay open for longer than a standard working day and operate on weekends. Industries that require shift work for round-the-clock coverage include emergency services, healthcare, manufacturing, logistics and transportation, hospitality, entertainment, data centers, military, mining, telecommunications, security, meteorology, and more.

Shift work comes with many health risks, especially for employees who work night or twenty-four-hour shifts. For example, an estimated 10–40% of shift workers have shift work sleep disorder (SWSD) that is characterized by excessive sleepiness, insomnia, or both. Shift work also increases the risk of developing cluster headaches, cardiovascular diseases, depression, fatigue, gastrointestinal disorders, metabolic disorders (including diabetes), obesity, and other health issues. It can also worsen chronic diseases. Long shifts and night shifts are associated with a higher risk of accidents and injuries.

Shift Worker Sunday was launched by the US-based software company Deputy that offers shift work management solutions for businesses. Its main goal is to recognize shift workers who make up about 15-20% of the total workforce in industrialized countries, and hourly workers in general who make up more than 80% of the total workforce in the world.

Shift Worker Sunday is the day to recognize people who work early in the morning or late at night, on Saturdays and on Sundays so that others can have comfortable access to goods and services. They often work long or odd hours regardless of the time of day, miss special occasions of events, and make other sacrifices for the sake of their customers.

To show your appreciation to the people who keep our communities thriving, join the #ASimpleThanks movement. It can mean leaving an extra tip, writing a positive online review, being extra patient with overworked shift workers during the holiday season when many businesses are short-staffed, or simply remembering to say “Thank you” and meaning it. And don’t forget to spread the word about the campaign on social media with the hashtags #ASimpleThanks and #ShiftWorkerSunday.