Healthy, happy workers? The consequences of commuting between Northern Ireland and Great Britain

The recent economic downturn has seen many construction companies in Northern Ireland look to secure work in Great Britain to maintain their operations.  A direct consequence of this has been an increase in the number of workers, both professionals and trades, who are now commuting to Great Britain for work; that is, spending at least five consecutive days away from home as part of their regular work schedules.  Such arrangements have been researched elsewhere, notably in Australia and Canada, and have been found to be detrimental to workers health and wellbeing; however, such studies have not been conducted in the context of Northern Ireland.  Here, ten exploratory, in-depth semi-structured interviews were held with Northern Irish construction workers currently travelling to Great Britain for work.  Data was transcribed and analysed using cognitive mapping software.  Findings revealed that workers have an increased likelihood of becoming overweight, and struggle with tiredness and fatigue, particularly on the first day of their roster, due to early travel.  They are also more likely to suffer from depression and loneliness, missing family and friends, which in turn, leads to increased drug and alcohol consumption, and use of prostitutes.  The use of hotels as temporary accommodation is a further problem, which limits workers ability to cook for themselves and so eat healthily, as well as reducing social interaction, which encourages workers into hotel bars and pubs as shared social spaces, again influencing levels of alcohol and type of food consumption.  Recommendations are made for the care of workers on such work patterns, specifically the careful consideration of the type of accommodation used to house workers, as well as the provision of robust mental health support systems, subsidised gym memberships to encourage regular exercise and flexibility of a workers 'fly in' and 'fly out' day to allow for adequate rest and maximise their time at home.