Fatigue among restaurant workers

The restaurant industry is a popular occupation that also consists of elevated rates for injury. For fatigue, many existing studies use only a self-reported metric, while few use an objective measure. However, using both metrics at the same time to study fatigue risk factors can provide a more accurate estimation of fatigue during a shift, especially when it comes to different job roles.

The aim of this study was to estimate the effect of job role on self-reported fatigue along with the effect of job role and time on physical activity and self-reported fatigue. Physical activity data and self-reported measurements of fatigue were collected for three work shifts among 13 workers (8 servers and 5 cooks). Inertial sensors (i.e., accelerometers and gyroscopes) were worn on the dominant wrist and the non-dominant hip to capture continuous physical activity data, while a fatigue questionnaire was completed before, during, and after work to capture self-reported feelings of fatigue. Analyses examined the effects job role (server vs. cook), time since the start of a shift, and their interaction on measures of both physical activity levels and self-reported fatigue. While the main effect of job role was not statistically significant for most measures, the main effect of time and the interaction between job role and time was statistically significant; in general, cooks experienced fatigue at a faster rate than servers.

Even though there are multiple variables for fatigue, the measurement of physical activity and the use of questionnaires can be used to estimate risk factors for fatigue and their effects on restaurant workers. Understanding fatigue in different job roles can help with managerial tasks pertaining to restaurant operations and increase employee well-being.