Working against your internal clock

Can you imagine working against your natural circadian rhythm? What if your shift started at 3 a.m.? For one in ten workers in Germany, this has long been a reality.

According to figures from the Federal Statistical Office, in 2024 approximately 4 million workers in Germany worked at night—that is, between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. Night work is particularly common in industries that are either integrated into global markets or in those where continuous shift work is the norm. At the top of the list is aviation, where 42.6% of employees work at night at least occasionally. This is followed by security and guard services, where 40.2% of employees are on duty during the late/early hours.

The effects of this night work are immense: sleep disorders are just one aspect, as the body cannot simply be reprogrammed to adapt to working in the dark. Other potential health consequences include increased risks of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, strokes, mental health disorders, and miscarriages. Added to this is social isolation, as night work in most cases means separation from one’s social circle.

We were also interested in these topics:

• Butcher counters without new recruits: The shortage of skilled workers is growing most rapidly in the meat retail sector, according to an analysis by the Competence Center for Securing Skilled Workers (Kofa). A main reason: demographic change.

• Job losses due to AI: Digital Minister Karsten Wildberger predicts fundamental changes in the labor market driven by AI. To cushion potential job losses, he is also bringing an unconditional basic income into the discussion.

• People first, work second: For several years now, the Darmstadt-Dieburg district has made it its mission to effectively combat long-term unemployment through a specially launched project. Instead of short-term successes, the focus is primarily on sustainably empowering those affected.

This text first appeared as an editorial in the weekly politjobs newsletter. If you’d like to receive this newsletter with the latest jobs in the political sector directly via email every Wednesday, you can subscribe here.