Shift unpredictability in the police: implications for health, behaviour and attitudes

Shift predictability may combat negative effects of shiftwork; e.g., working time control moderates the effects of long-working hours on health/sickness absence. In some contexts, however, operational demand becomes an overarching principle, with predictability for the employee sacrificed. We propose that unpredictability negatively affects strain/health, attitudinal and behavioural outcomes, and undermines the use of fixed-hours shifts and flexible work arrangements (FWAs) which are commonly used to counteract the well-known consequences of shiftwork.