PSYCH-105 Industrial Psychology
Chapter 12: Fatigue and Boredom
Unit 1
Unit 2
Unit 3
Unit 4
Appendix
Causes of Fatigue
Fatigue can be caused by work-related factors, factors outside work and/or a combination of both, and may accumulate over time.
Work-related factors
- Roster patterns
- Length and timing of shifts (e.g. Night shift)
- Poor work scheduling and planning
- Length of time worked / a lot of working hours
- Speed of work
- Insufficient recovery time between shifts
- Long periods of time awake
- Inadequate rest breaks
- Mentally or physically demanding work (under-demand/over-demand)
- Inadequate and inefficient tools
- Work place layout (space, design of machines)
- Effect of noise
- Lack of light
- Lack of training
- Harsh environmental conditions
- Temperature and ventilation
- Unhealthy atmosphere
- Training of employee
Factors outside work
- Poor quality of sleep
- Sleep loss
- Sleep disorders like sleep apnea
- Low morale
- Lack of motivation
- Lack of proper diet (e.g. Lack of iron leads to anemia and / or excessive consumption of alcohol)
- Social life
- Family needs
- Other employment
- Travel time
- Excessive stress and tension
- Medical problems (like liver infection, low blood sugar, obesity, heart problems and diabetes etc)
Effect of Fatigue
The effects of fatigue on health and work performance can be short term and long term. Short-term effects on an individual include impaired work performance, such as the reduced ability to:
- Concentrate and avoid distraction
- Think laterally and analytically
- Make decisions
- Remember and recall events and their sequences
- Maintain vigilance
- Control emotions
- Appreciate complex situations
- Recognize risks
- Coordinate hand-eye movements, and
- Communicate effectively.
Fatigue can also:
- Increase error rates
- Slow reaction times
- Increase the likelihood of accidents and injuries
- Cause micro-sleeps
- Loss of production
- Wastage of raw material
- Quality of work deteriorates
- Absenteeism increases
- Employees attrition increases
Long-term effects on health that are associated with shift work and chronic sleep loss may include:
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Gastrointestinal disorders
- Depression, and
- Anxiety.
Author – Dr. Niyati Garg
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