About this Research Topic
OECD countries are seeing a trend towards nontraditional work schedules, with women and low-qualified workers being the most impacted. In the ever-evolving landscape of employment, the intersection of working schedules, gender roles, and mental health has emerged as a critical area of study. Increasing evidence shows that nonstandard work schedules adversely impact workers’ health and social and family well-being. However, their impact on mental health remains under-investigated. Furthermore, the impact of different forms of work schedules – long hours, night work, weekend work, on-demand work, and flexible working – has not been explored separately. Working schedules have significantly been changed and accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and studies suggest that the shift towards remote work led to increased workweek hours and nonstandard hours of work. Studies also suggest that men have benefited more from the increased flexibility provided by remote work than women, and that shifts in remote work could encourage in the long run working time deregulations in lower class jobs. Given these changes, researchers should continue to explore interactions between the timing of work and mental health in different contexts, using both a gender-sensitive approach and intersectional framework.
This call seeks in-depth exploration into the impact of work schedules on mental health, with a specific focus on gender roles. The topic will include work schedules broadly defined as long working hours, unpredictability of the schedule, shift work, nonstandard days/hours, variable hours, and remote work. The aim is to delve into the complex interactions between these factors and illuminate insights that can inform workplace policies, practices, and interventions geared towards fostering mental health and gender equity.
We welcome submissions of original research papers, qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods papers, review papers, perspectives that examine the impact of work schedules and mental health of employees in an intersectional framework. Areas of interest for this Research Topic might include (but are not limited to):
• Working schedules and mental health over the life course;
• Changing patterns of work schedules and the associated opportunities, and challenges;
• Comparative analyses of various work schedules and their respective impacts on mental health;
• Comparative studies of the impact of working schedules in different sectors and across countries;
• The intersection of gender, working schedules, family and work support and mental health;
• COVID-19, remote work, and mental health.
This call seeks in-depth exploration into the impact of work schedules on mental health, with a specific focus on gender roles. The topic will include work schedules broadly defined as long working hours, unpredictability of the schedule, shift work, nonstandard days/hours, variable hours, and remote work. The aim is to delve into the complex interactions between these factors and illuminate insights that can inform workplace policies, practices, and interventions geared towards fostering mental health and gender equity.
We welcome submissions of original research papers, qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods papers, review papers, perspectives that examine the impact of work schedules and mental health of employees in an intersectional framework. Areas of interest for this Research Topic might include (but are not limited to):
• Working schedules and mental health over the life course;
• Changing patterns of work schedules and the associated opportunities, and challenges;
• Comparative analyses of various work schedules and their respective impacts on mental health;
• Comparative studies of the impact of working schedules in different sectors and across countries;
• The intersection of gender, working schedules, family and work support and mental health;
• COVID-19, remote work, and mental health.
Keywords: working schedules, gender, mental health, family support, work support
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
