A new international survey conducted by UNI Global Union has unveiled the alarming challenges that cleaning professionals encounter while working irregular and unsocial shifts. The results are in, and they paint a distressing picture of the physical and mental toll that shift work takes on cleaners' lives.

Over 2,500 participants from 32 countries across six continents say that night time shift makes them suffer from isolation, strained relationships, disrupted sleep patterns, exhaustion, and severe impacts on both physical and mental health.

Approximately half of the cleaners surveyed work shifts that fall outside the regular day shift, and statistical analysis indicates that these cleaners face significant disadvantages compared to their daytime counterparts. Nearly 70 per cent of night shift cleaners and over half of early morning and evening shift cleaners report not getting enough sleep, emphasising the detrimental impact of non-day shifts on their sleep patterns.

Around 45 per cent of female cleaners working the night shift express feeling unsafe at work, with a significant number experiencing harassment during their shifts and commutes.

Evening and night shift workers often find themselves torn between their work schedules and their social and family lives. These cleaners face higher rates of conflict, as their non-standard working hours hinder their ability to spend quality time with loved ones. The testimonies of cleaners highlight the strain on their relationships with children and partners, exacerbating the sense of isolation and societal disconnect they experience.

The survey uncovers a troubling reality: Most cleaners working shifts other than the day shift have no alternative but to do so. This lack of choice underscores the urgent need for the cleaning industry to address scheduling issues and prioritise the physical and mental wellbeing of cleaners. It is imperative that employers and clients recognise the immense toll that non-daytime shifts take on these essential workers and offer viable alternatives.

While it is evident that economic pressures and limited options often force cleaners into non-daytime shifts, it is the responsibility of the industry and its clients to rectify this situation. Offering daytime shifts, which promote regular sleep patterns, social interaction, and a healthier work-life balance, should be prioritised. Although non-daytime shifts may come with higher wages, this should not come at the expense of cleaners' physical and mental well-being. We must recognise that their lives are more important than money.

“The body was created to rest at night and not to work. That is why most night workers have high blood pressure,” a UK night cleaner told us. “I would sleep and eat well, I wouldn’t be so tired, I would get less sick,” a Colombian multi-shift cleaner said when asked how life would change if she started working only day shifts.

We cannot ignore their pleas for a better, healthier future. It is time to bring daylight into the cleaning sector and ensure that cleaners can thrive, both personally and professionally. Long-term health consequences of night work, including increased risks of breast cancer, heart disease and other chronic disorders, reinforce the case for change.

We have long advocated for a transition to daytime work in the cleaning sector, recognising the negative consequences of irregular and unsocial shifts on workers. This survey reinforces the urgent need for change. Cleaners should not have to sacrifice their health and happiness for the sake of their livelihoods. It's time to make daytime work the norm and pull cleaners out of the shadows.

Eddy Stam is head of property services at UNI Global Union.

• Global survey on night shifts unveils detrimental effects on cleaners, June 2023.
• UNI Global Union and property service webpages.
• Hazards hours webpages.
  
• Working Against the Clock: A global survey on how cleaners’ work schedules impact their health, safety and well-being, UNI Global Union report, June 2023.

SAFETY CONCERNS  Around 45 per cent of female cleaners working the night shift reported feeling unsafe at work. A significant number had experienced harassment at work and during their commute, with over a third reporting incidents of harassment. 

SHIFT DISADVANTAGE   Approximately half of the cleaners surveyed work shifts outside of the regular day shift. These cleaners face significant disadvantages compared to day shift cleaners, in terms of employment rights, pay and conditions and access to welfare facilities. 

NO CHOICE Seven in ten cleaners working shifts other than the day shift do so because they have no alternative. This suggests that many cleaners are forced to accept non-day shifts due to limited options or circumstances.

DIVERSE WORKFORCE  Of the respondents to the UNI survey, 70 per cent identified as female, approximately 25 per cent identified as immigrants in their respective countries of work, and 20 per cent identified as people of colour.

SLEEP DEPRIVATION   Nearly 70 per cent of night shift cleaners and over half of early morning and evening shift cleaners reported not getting enough sleep. Disturbed sleep patterns are linked to a wide range of acute and chronic health problems and higher injury rates.

CONFLICT CAUSE  Evening and night shift workers face higher rates of conflict between their work schedules and their social and family lives compared to their counterparts on the day shift. Testimonies from cleaners emphasised the negative impact on their relationships with their children and partners.  

Back to the top

OUT OF THE
SHADOWS

Cleaners are the unsung heroes who take care of the core infrastructure that makes our societies run, says Eddy Stam of the global union UNI. He says their labour is often unseen and at night, with unions taking action to address the alarming impact of harassment, gruelling sleep schedules and exhaustion.

Images
Click on images for larger versions