Round-the-Clock Shifts: How U.S. Workers' Working Hours Changed Between 2006 and 2022

• In Event: 40465 - Demography and the Future of Work

Abstract

The temporal organization of work fundamentally shapes social inequality in contemporary society, yet relatively little is known about how the composition of the nonstandard-hours workforce has evolved in recent decades. As the 24/7 economy continues to expand, employment during nonstandard hours increasingly affects workers’ health outcomes, family dynamics, and social integration, potentially amplifying existing socioeconomic and racial disparities. This study examines these temporal dimensions of inequality by investigating the changing demographic characteristics of U.S. workers across four distinct work schedules: morning (6 a.m.-11 a.m.), afternoon (12 p.m.-5 p.m.), evening (6 p.m.-11 p.m.), and night (12 a.m.-5 a.m.).
Drawing on cross-sectional data from the American Community Survey for 2006 and 2022, this research analyzes the sociodemographic composition of workers across different time segments and examines how these patterns have changed between these two time points. Through multinomial logistic regression analyses, the study investigates shifts in gender, age, education, race/ethnicity, wages, occupational prestige, and industry composition across different work schedules. This comprehensive examination of socioeconomic indicators illuminates how temporal stratification intersects with broader patterns of labor market inequality.
The study identifies changes in the demographic profile of workers across different time segments while paying particular attention to how these patterns have evolved between 2006 and 2022. By examining these temporal dimensions of work, this research contributes to sociological understanding of labor market segmentation and workplace inequality. The findings advance theoretical frameworks of temporal stratification while providing empirical evidence to inform policy interventions addressing workforce scheduling and equity considerations in an increasingly 24/7 economy.
Keywords: Nonstandard work hours; Temporal inequality; Labor market; Work schedules; Social Disparities.

Author

• Zi Wan, University of Texas at San Antonio