ArticleFrontiers in psychology2026
The double-edged sword of rotational shift work: a qualitative study of worker perceptions in Saudi Arabia.
Article in Frontiers in psychology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
Background: Rotational shift work is a defining feature of 24/7 industries, yet its psychological consequences remain poorly understood, particularly outside Western healthcare contexts. Methods: Grounded in the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) framework, this qualitative phenomenological study examined how rotational shift schedules shape the psychological well-being, work-life balance, and occupational outcomes of 16 shift workers in Saudi Arabia's petrochemical sector, selected through purposive sampling and interviewed using semi-structured in-depth interviews; data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's (2019) six-phase reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Three overarching themes emerged: significant health effects including chronic sleep disruption, circadian rhythm misalignment, physical exhaustion, and erosion of healthy behavioral routines; complex work-life balance negotiations shaped by financial necessity, personal flexibility, social isolation, and uniquely in this cultural context, disruption to religious obligations including prayer schedules and Ramadan practices; and mixed occupational outcomes whereby rotational shifts enhanced decision-making autonomy and experiential learning while simultaneously constraining career progression, undermining professional visibility, and creating tension in workplace relationships. Conclusion: These findings extend JD-R theory into a non-Western, non-healthcare shift work context, revealing that culturally specific demands, particularly religious and social obligations, constitute a distinct and underexamined category of psychosocial burden, with implications for organizational policies addressing sleep hygiene, religious accommodation, and structured career development for shift workers.
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