There is a newand growing nocturnal work force lurking in the neon glow. Today, Americans are workingjobs at nights that were traditionally worked during the regular work day hours of9 to 5. And in an age of fast economic change, you could be next.
White-CollarWork Increasingly Done at Night
The graveyard or the third-shift hours of 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., once predominantly workedby factory workers, bakers, security guards, and other blue-collar workers, is nowalso filling its ranks with energy brokers, computer programmers, and financial advisors.
Between 1991and 1997, there was an 11 percent increase in the number of white-collar employeesworking evenings or nights, compared to a 6 percent increase among blue-collar workerson those hours, according to 1997 figures gathered by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
You could blameit on old Thomas Edison and the light bulb. But most of the growth in night shiftwork is rooted in the growing global economy. As more businesses and workforces operateand compete in multiple time-zones across countries' borders, the 24-hour work dayis taking its hold almost everywhere.
Yet even withthese growing numbers, white-collar work is still only a small portion of the nocturnalwork force:
- Of the over27 million workers who are in managerial and professional work, only 1.3 percentwork the night shift and only 1.7 percent work the evening shift (U.S. Bureau ofLabor Statistics).
- Of the over25 million technical, sales, and administrative support workers, 2.1 percent workthe night shift and 3.5 percent work the evening shift (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Blue-CollarWorkers on the Late Shifts
The prevalence of night and evening shift work is greatest among those in serviceoccupations and those who are operators, fabricators, and laborers:
- Of the over11 million service workers (which include those in protective services, food service,and cleaning services), 6.5 percent work the night shift and 10.8 percent work theevening shift (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
- Of the over14 million operators, fabricators, and laborers, 7.4 percent work the night shiftand 7.7 percent work the evening shift (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Who Worksthe Night Shift and Why?
If you work thenight or evening shifts, you are not alone. Three million Americans work graveyardsand another four million work evening shifts (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
And while manyworkers are feeling stretched in the fast changing 24 hour, 7 days a week world,others are choosing to work nights:
- Readabout Dorothy,a grocery shopper for an Internet grocery company, who works nights so she can raiseher children during the day.
- Readabout Teresa,a computer chip bonder, who takes on-site classes and sees her job on the night shiftas a stepping stone to other positions within the company.
- Readabout Ramona,a dairy farmer, who works nights at a packaging plant in order to earn extra incomeand have some time off the farm.
- Readabout Robert,a night systems administrator at an Internet company, who is taking advantage ofthe high-tech boom.
- Readabout Carol,an early morning news anchor, who works to move up in her career but isn't sure howmuch longer she can work the night shift.
- Readabout Amy,a night emergency room nurse, who wouldn't work days, even if paid more.
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