A Cochrane Systematic Review of ten studies on flexible working hours has revealed that workers who are able to make their own hours tend to be happier and less stressed than those with fixed schedules.

In total, the studies involved more than 16,600 people and the researchers found that workers who were allowed to self-schedule had healthier blood pressure levels, better sleep quality and fewer instances of mental illness than counterparts with rigid work hours.

Authors of the study noted a trend toward flexible scheduling in Europe. The practice is now common in Scandinavian countries and the UK recently passed legislation that allows parents of children under 16 to request from employers the privilege to make their own hours.

“Flexible working seems to be more beneficial for health and well-being where the individuals control their own work patterns, rather than where employers are in control,” said Clare Bambra, lead author of the review.

These results suggest that organizations with the ability to offer flexible working hours to employees may be effective in reducing workplace stress and strengthening employee performance. Additional benefits may include reduced healthcare costs due to lessened mental illness.

Researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) have conducted a study, which suggests that employees who work late nights and rotating shifts are more likely to injure themselves on the job.

The scientists examined data on more than 30,000 Canadian workers over a ten-year period, and found that while overall job-related injuries have decreased, employees working odd hours are still hurting themselves more often.

Authors of the study attributed this effect to a lack of sleep or irregular sleep patterns experienced by those who work at night or on rotating shifts. Additionally, they noted that these injuries were more prevalent in women, perhaps because many women are also responsible for childcare and other household chores.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nonfatal workplace injuries account for nearly 1 million missed days of work per year. Accidents at work also cause more than 4,000 deaths yearly, the bureau reports.

“Regulatory agencies and employers need to consider policies and programs to help reduce the risk of injuries among shift workers,” said Chris McLeod, co-author of the study and research associate at UBC.

A study that was conducted at the University of Pittsburgh suggests that individuals who show strong emotions like anger or anxiety when under stress may also experience negative physical effects as they appear to be more prone to inflammation.

Researchers measured the emotional and physical response to stress tests in healthy, middle-aged individuals and found that those who reported heightened emotions also had higher levels of specific inflammation markers in their blood.

Results of the study indicate that mental health – which includes emotional responses – may be linked to physical health.

“Our results raise the possibility that individuals who become angry or anxious when confronting relatively minor challenges in their lives are prone to increases in inflammation,” said Dr. Judith Carroll, study author.

Employers seeking to cut back on costs stemming from absenteeism and workplace stress may achieve that by implementing employee wellness programs that address stress and anger management. Results of the study suggest that those who are better able to deal with stress mentally also tend to be physically healthier.

Research conducted at the University of California, Berkeley suggests that flight attendants and employees who frequently travel between time zones may suffer from long-term memory loss due to jet-lag.

Scientists examined hamsters who were subjected to six-hour time shifts twice a week for a month and found that the rodents experienced impaired learning and memory function when compared with a control group.

Furthermore, the time changes affected cell maturation in the hippocampus region of the animals’ brains, and negative effects lasted for more than four weeks.

Results of the study suggest that airlines and organizations with employees who make frequent business trips across time zones should take steps to reduce workplace stress. Employee wellness programs can include tools and resources on stress management and healthy sleep patterns.

“The evidence is overwhelming that disruptions in circadian timing have a direct impact on human health and disease,” said Lance Kriegsfeld, the study’s co-author.

In addition to providing stress relief tools to employees, organizations may also want to ensure that workers receive comprehensive health benefits to maintain a healthy staff.

A recent study from the University of Haifa has shown that private sector employees with a high level of emotional intelligence tend to have more positive attitudes toward their workplace and are less likely to engage in negative behavior.

The study may suggest that employee wellness programs that build a worker’s ability to identify and assess their own emotions as well as those of their coworkers’ could help ease workplace stress and potentially improve employee performance.

Employees who were more in touch with their emotions showed an increased perception of fairness in their organization, commitment to their company and satisfaction at work. These workers were also less prone to burnout, shirking and engaging in forceful influence tactics.

The study showed the presence of emotional intelligence was not as likely to positively influence workers in the public sector, however.

According to an article on the Employee Wellness Programs’ website, tools and activities to help promote or improve emotional intelligence include health coaching, self-help groups, writing in a journal, an assessment of one’s emotional health and the presence of a support system at work.