Analysis of the night shift work in software application support sector

Abstract

This study explores and analyses the association between the strategies on night shift related work and job performance in the Sri Lanka Software application support sector in the IT industry. The main objectives are to identify the factors that affect the night shift work in the Software Application Support sector, examine the relationship between factors of night shift work and job performance, and recommend a set of guidelines to improve job performance during the night shifts. The analysis of the literature review discusses the current research on night shift work and factors that help to improve employees’ performance during shifts such as compensation, recognitions, and rewards, promotions, workplace arrangement, shift time allocation, etc. This study has identified five main factors using a pilot test, to be addressed throughout the research. The research methodology is based on a quantitative approach, hence a survey is conducted with 150 employees who work in the Application Support Sector of the IT industry. The survey questionnaire contains 30 questions such that five questions per each variable. Descriptive analysis was performed to analyze the demographic characteristics given by respondents depending on central tendencies measurement and frequency analysis of constructs. The reliability analysis was performed using the scale measurement. Then the inferential analyses are performed using the Pearson correlation coefficient analysis. Finally, the ANOVA test is applied to identify the impact of the five independent variables with the dependent variable, job performance in the night shift. According to the analysis results, it can be concluded that leadership management and workplace arrangement have a high impact on job performance during the night shifts. Also, Rewards and recognition having a considerable relationship with job performance even though it has a medium level impact. The Time allocation and Nature of work do not have an impact on performance. Further, a set of recommendations are proposed to improve night shift job performance of employees in Application Support sector, IT industry in Sri Lanka. These recommendations will enable organizations to identify employees’ needs and wants. These strategies can be implemented based on a priority level, which includes the most prominent ranking with the intention of improving employee satisfaction on night shifts. Thus, by meeting the needs of employees, job performance can be increased on night shifts.