COMPRESSED − A longitudinal study of compressed work schedules within the health, care and welfare services

The aim of COMPRESSED is to investigate the potential consequences of a compressed work schedule within the municipal health, care and welfare services.

A compressed work schedule is defined by an increase in numbers of hours per day, and a reduction of number of days per week. Compressed work schedules are advocated as a tool to reduce involuntary part-time contracts, and improve employee recruitment and retention, as well as improve employee health and quality of care. 

However, the empirical support of such claims is limited, mixed, and suffers from several methodological shortcomings. There is a clear lack in studies investigating the potential moderating and mediating mechanisms, despite moderating variables such as shift intensity being likely to have an impact. 

In collaboration with unions and employers, COMPRESSED uses a longitudinal mixed method design, to investigate the short- and long-term consequences of compressed work schedules, as well as potential moderating and mediating variables. Each of the research questions will be addressed with complimentary methods in each of the work packages.

The project COMPRESSED will examine:

1. In-depth narrative interviews eliciting employees’, employers’, and patients’/users’ own perceptions of consequences, moderators and mechanisms.
2. A retrospective intervention study using registry data, examining compressed work schedules implemented over the past 5 years.
3.  A two year longitudinal survey looking at long-term effects and 4) a diary study across two weeks, looking at short-term effects.