Self-rostering, work-life balance and job satisfaction in UK nursing: a literature review
Intended for healthcare professionals
Evidence and practice    

Self-rostering, work-life balance and job satisfaction in UK nursing: a literature review

Brian Webster Registered nurse, Intensive care, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, Scotland
Daryll Archibald Lecturer, School of Health Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, Scotland

Why you should read this article:
  • To be aware of the potential benefits of flexible working initiatives such as self-rostering in addressing recruitment and retention issues in the nursing profession

  • To understand that self-rostering may enhance nurses’ work-life balance and job satisfaction

  • To recognise that the implementation of self-rostering initiatives must be assessed for suitability on an area-by-area basis

Nursing vacancies are high across the UK, with some nurses considering leaving the profession. Evidence suggests that employers, including the NHS, need to be more flexible about working times to support employees’ work-life balance and job satisfaction. Self-rostering is one approach that has the potential to enhance nurses’ work-life balance and job satisfaction, enabling scope for greater autonomy. This could in turn lead to fewer nurses leaving the profession and contribute to making nursing more attractive as a career. This literature review focused on nurses in the NHS and found that self-rostering had a positive effect on their work-life balance and job satisfaction. However, a move to self-rostering can pose challenges and it should be assessed for suitability before implementation. Given the nursing vacancy crisis in the UK and many nurses’ intentions to leave the profession, the potential benefits of self-rostering for nurses cannot be overlooked.

Nursing Management. 29, 6, 27-32. doi: 10.7748/nm.2022.e2048

Correspondence

brianwebster90@outlook.com

Peer review

This article has been subject to external double-blind peer review and has been checked for plagiarism using automated software

Conflict of interest

None declared

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