Working hours, recovery windows and output quality
Review actual work patterns and quality together. Contracted hours alone do not demonstrate manageable demands or adequate recovery.
The performance question
Extra work can be hidden in late messages, early calls and weekend preparation. A role may appear within normal hours while its full demand is not. Boards should ask where these patterns arise and what operational commitments make them necessary.
What the evidence supports
GOV.UK outlines usual adult entitlements including eleven hours of daily rest and a twenty minute break when working more than six hours, subject to exceptions. HSE warns that compliance with working time rules alone does not sufficiently manage fatigue.[1][2]
A practical approach
Review aggregated actual hours and on call work alongside rework, incidents and deferred tasks. Consult staff on feasible changes and obtain employment advice where entitlement or exemptions are unclear. Reduce unnecessary demand, arrange cover and plan rest into schedules rather than asking individuals to recover around an unchanged workload.
How to review progress
Check whether actual patterns changed and whether service remains safe. Do not assume an opt out or a person’s willingness to work extra hours resolves fatigue risk. Keep individual health information separate from routine operational reporting.
Sources and references
- Rest breaks at work Opens in a new tab
GOV.UK
Overview: usual adult daily, weekly and working day entitlements
- Human factors: Fatigue Opens in a new tab
Health and Safety Executive
Why fatigue matters and key principles for managing working hours