Resilience, shift work and mental wellbeing

The term ‘resilience’ has become commonly used in high‑pressure industries, but its meaning is often misunderstood. It is not about an individual’s ability to ‘keep going’, but the combined capacity of people, teams and systems to adapt to variation, strain and unexpected demands.

Ports operate continuously and many involve irregular or unsociable hours, which can create conditions where mental health strain can accumulate. Supporting resilience is not about encouraging endurance; it is about recognising the demands placed on workers and ensuring that systems help prevent unnecessary stress and protect long‑term wellbeing.

Misunderstanding resilience as the ability to ‘push through’ increases risk. Workers who believe exhaustion or emotional difficulty are simply part of the job may hide symptoms or become reluctant to raise concerns. This can lead to increased mistakes, reduced safety and greater emotional strain. Genuine resilience focuses on ensuring that strain does not escalate to the point where wellbeing and safety are compromised.

In another PSS Mental Health in Ports week podcast series, PSS Health, Safety and Environment Technician Umayya Rahman interviewed HM HSE Inspector Nicola Jaynes on resilience, shift work and mental health.

In the first episode Nicola and Umayya explore the essential role of communication, collaboration, and supportive workplace cultures in strengthening resilience across UK ports.

Nicola highlights how open dialogue, clear expectations, and non‑blame approaches create happier, healthier teams where workers feel valued and empowered. From ensuring people can speak up about safety concerns without fear of repercussions to emphasising consistent, high‑quality training for everyone regardless of background or role, she shares practical actions port operators can take to improve wellbeing and embed long‑term cultural change. (8 minutes)

In this insightful second episode, Nicola offers a grounded and refreshingly human perspective on what resilience truly means for people working in shift‑based, safety‑critical environments such as ports. From sleep patterns and family time to seasonal changes and emotional support systems, Nicola emphasises that resilience isn’t a one‑size‑fits‑all skill — it’s shaped by each person’s circumstances, needs, and the realities of their daily lives.

Nicola and Umayya also explore why resilience cannot be viewed as an individual responsibility alone. Supportive systems, thoughtful supervision, and adaptable messaging are essential to recognising people’s differences and encouraging open conversations about wellbeing. (16 minutes)

This final episode offers a compelling exploration of how isolation, workplace culture, and visibility of leadership shape mental resilience in port environments. Nicola highlights that loneliness can occur even when surrounded by people, stressing the importance of strong support networks, open conversations, and visible management — especially for shift workers who often miss out on daytime leadership presence.

Nicola also provides clear insight into how behavioural changes often signal stress or disconnection, reinforcing the need for managers and peers to notice when someone is acting out of character and to approach conversations with empathy rather than blame. She underscores that mental strain builds differently for everyone, but fatigue, high workloads, and poorly planned shift patterns can significantly impair decision‑making. This makes proper rest, good planning, and robust safety systems essential for a healthy workforce. Her reflections reveal a powerful message: resilience is strengthened when workplaces commit to visibility, openness, and continuous improvement in mental‑health practices.

(20 minutes)