New Design Options for a Humane Night and Shift Work? – Expert Assessments Using the Example of Digitalisation

Abstract

In the course of the debate on industry 4.0 and digitalisation, production technology has made considerable promises regarding an improvement in the quality of work. There are also concepts for the organisation of night and shift work, such as a shift doodle. The article asks to what extent digitalisation really offers opportunities for a humane organisation of night and shift work. The results of 40 interviews with experts suggest that the use of new technologies is not seen as a sufficient approach to a solution. Problems such as management deficits in the design of operational processes and wrong incentives by means of monetary compensation of strain remain fundamental obstacles that need to be solved.