Studies Reveal the Realities Facing London’s Night Workers
Studies Reveal the Realities Facing London’s Night Workers
A new set of studies has just been published shedding light on what life is really like for London’s night-time workforce – a group that’s still far too often overlooked in policy, research and employer support.
Backed by the Greater London Authority and Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries Justine Simons OBE, the research brings night workers’ experiences into sharp focus. Two of the three reports are built around worker voices – from UCL’s long-table conversations to a survey by Didobi – and they reveal a mix of fascinating, honest and sometimes arresting insights from people working through the night across the capital.
There’s also new mapping work that highlights where night-time jobs cluster across London, offering a fresh look at the scale and spread of the city’s night economy.
The reports set out several policy ideas too, including four recommendations centred on night-worker health:
Support more research into the long-term health impacts of night work.
Boost awareness of employers’ legal duties under Working Time Regulations, including offering free health assessments.
Improve access to mental health support and resources on the wellbeing impacts of night shifts.
Encourage healthy, affordable food options and better workplace facilities — alongside clear, accessible information on diet, nutrition and working at night.
At Night Club, we’ve always pushed for night workers’ voices to be heard, so it’s great to see this focus coming through so strongly. Much of this work aligns with the support we already provide to employers and shift-working teams – from bringing sleep experts on site at night to delivering training and practical advice.
If you’re an employer looking to strengthen support for your night-time teams, we’d love to chat.
You can also download our free Bright Nights guide for a practical overview of the issues.