The Shift is Dying but Evening Work is Thriving: Primetime Work and the Work-Life Balance

Michael Corey, University of Chicago

The shift categorization dramatically underestimates the work/life conflict by missing day shift employees who work during prime family and social time. Instead of using an outmoded industrial classification, studies of non-day work be based on the activities of the social sphere. Utilizing the ATUS survey I look at work/life conflicts as a result of working during the social primetime of 6-10pm on weekdays. This categorization is more parsimonious due to addressing the social side of the work/life conflict and includes evening shift workers as well as a large number of day shift workers who are otherwise overlooked in previous studies.