Last year, Night Club commissioned YouGov to survey more than 500 HR professionals about how their organisations support night workers. This built on earlier polling we commissioned with a representative sample of 1,500 UK adults (including night workers) to understand attitudes, awareness and lived experience. Together, these findings offer a revealing snapshot of employer practice in the UK today – and highlight a stark disconnect between what science tells us about night work and what many organisations currently do to protect the health, safety and performance of the people who keep the country running after dark.
With more than 8.7 million people – 27% of the UK workforce – now working at night, this is no niche issue. Night work has become mainstream. Yet in many ways, it remains “the forgotten shift”.
The myth of adaptation
Perhaps the most persistent myth about night work is that “everyone gets used to working at night – it just takes time.”
The reality? Academic research shows that 97% of night shift workers do not adjust to a nocturnal regime but remain synchronised to daytime rhythms. In other words, most people’s bodies never fully adapt.
Yet awareness of this fact is remarkably low:
- Only 50% of HR professionals correctly identified the statement as false
- Just 24% of UK adults recognised it as untrue
- Most concerningly, only 16% of night workers themselves understood that adaptation is unlikely
This widespread misunderstanding matters. If leaders assume workers will “settle in”, fatigue risks may be underestimated, and support systems deprioritised. The science suggests that night work is not simply a scheduling issue – it is a biological challenge.
Fatigue monitoring: still not standard practice
Given what we know about circadian disruption and sleep loss, monitoring fatigue would seem an obvious first step.
However, our polling tells a different story:
- Across the full HR sample (n=533), only 30% reported monitoring staff tiredness or fatigue
- Among organisations employing night workers (n=286), this rises to 41%
That means nearly six in ten employers of night workers are not routinely tracking a significant risk factor associated with shift work.
Fatigue is not just about feeling tired. Research consistently shows that even one or two nights of reduced sleep impairs decision-making, slows reaction times and increases risk-taking behaviour. In safety-critical sectors – transport, healthcare, manufacturing – these risks can have serious consequences.
Yet culturally, the issue is often minimised. In our wider polling, 56% of respondents agreed they can be productive even when they have not been sleeping well. This rises to 60% of men and 62% of night workers.
The belief in “pushing through” remains strong. The biological evidence says otherwise.
Health checks: a regulatory grey area?
Qualifying night workers are entitled to health assessments under the Working Time Regulations. Despite this, our findings suggest patchy implementation:
- Over 35% of employers of night workers do not offer routine health checks
- A further 28% did not know whether such checks were offered by their company
That means nearly two-thirds of the companies in our survey sample either do not provide health assessments or are unsure whether they do.
This is particularly concerning given the well-established health risks associated with long-term night work. Sleep disruption is linked with obesity, type 2 diabetes and lower immunity.
The health implications are not hypothetical. They are systemic and long term. Without routine monitoring, employers may be missing opportunities for early intervention and prevention – potentially avoiding costly sickness absence.
Workplace adaptations: progress – but uneven
Encouragingly, 50% of HR professionals reported that their organisation ‘always’ or ‘often’ makes adaptations to the working environment for shift workers. These include changes to lighting, provision of rest areas and safety measures tailored to night conditions.
This suggests growing awareness that night work requires environmental adjustments.
However, the picture is less positive when it comes to education and lifestyle support:
- Only 20% ‘always’ or ‘often’ provide induction or training on managing sleep and maintaining a healthy lifestyle
- 32% rarely or never offer support on maintaining a healthy lifestyle
- A further 18% were unsure whether any such support was available
In other words, while some employers are changing the physical environment, far fewer are equipping workers with the knowledge and tools to manage the physiological and lifestyle impacts of night work.
The reality of night workers’ lives
Our polling of night workers reinforces why employer support is so critical.
Night workers are just as likely as day workers to have caring responsibilities (52% vs 50%). They are also more likely to hold a second job (33% vs 22%).
This has significant implications for sleep. For many, daytime hours are filled with childcare, eldercare or additional employment. Sleep becomes something to “fit in” around other responsibilities.
The idea that night workers simply need better time management ignores the structural pressures they face. If sleep is treated as optional, the long-term health and safety consequences can be profound.
Academics and clinicians are clear: sleep must be prioritised. It is foundational to physical health, mental wellbeing and performance.
A lack of clear guidance
One of the most striking findings from our HR survey is how unsupported many employers feel: 70% could not name a single source of good practice guidance on employing and supporting night workers.
For progressive employers, there is often a sense they are having to invent good practice in the absence of clear national direction. Night workers are rarely addressed directly in government policy, and responsibility for their wellbeing is fragmented across business, health, employment and economic domains.
The case for change
Taken together, our findings show partial progress – but significant gaps remain. Fatigue monitoring is not yet standard practice, health checks are inconsistently delivered, and training and lifestyle support are limited. Awareness of the biological realities of night work also remains low.
For employers, this is not simply a welfare issue. Night worker wellbeing directly affects safety, productivity, retention and reputation. The organisations leading the way are those that recognise the science of circadian disruption, monitor fatigue proactively, provide routine health assessments, offer practical sleep and lifestyle education, and design environments that support alertness and recovery.
Night work is essential. But the way we support night workers still has some way to go.
At Night Club we are helping employers address the risks and opportunities set out through our research and are always happy to have an exploratory discussion to see where we could support with our specialist expertise around healthy and productive night work.
About the author:
Ben Lumley is Co-Head of Night Club, an award-winning initiative designed to help businesses reduce the risks of night work and support shift workers in improving their sleep, health, engagement and performance. From live, in-person training experiences delivered at night, to management and leadership support that embeds a culture of wellbeing within organisations – Night Club’s unique interactive approach delivers proven results.
Trusted by over 40 major organisations, including Transport for London, Sysco, Carlsberg Britvic and ISS – Night Club has already helped 14,000+ night workers stay healthy, safe and engaged.
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