Working Unpredictable Hours May Increase The Risk of Separation
Your job might be affecting your relationship without you even realizing it. A new study of nearly 7,000 workers in the United States has found that unstable and unpredictable work schedules are linked to a higher risk of separation. When you never know when you might be called in to work, even finding time for your life as a couple can become a challenge.
When work schedules are constantly shifting, the impact can extend well beyond the workplace. A new study suggests that working unstable, unpredictable shifts may increase the risk of a relationship coming to an end. The reason may seem straightforward: when a person doesn’t know in advance when they will be working, it becomes much harder to manage daily routines, take care of children, plan time with a partner, or simply find time for the relationship itself.
To investigate this connection, researchers analyzed data from 6,918 hourly workers in the U.S. service sector. The data was collected between 2019 and 2024 by The Shift Project, an initiative that tracks working conditions for individuals who frequently face unpredictable schedules.
The study followed these individuals over time, making it possible to observe whether those exposed to greater instability at work were also more likely to see their relationships end.
The researchers were particularly interested in an aspect of work that usually receives little attention: the predictability of schedules. It was not just a matter of how many hours a person worked or how much they earned; what mattered was whether they were able to plan their week.
A worker might, for instance, receive their schedule well in advance, allowing them to organize their life. Another might find out only a few days ahead of time that they will need to work evenings, weekends, or at times that differ from their usual routine. This latter situation can make family life significantly more difficult.
To analyze the data, the researchers employed a statistical method that made it possible to estimate the likelihood of a relationship ending based on the degree of instability in work schedules. They analyzed married individuals and those in stable domestic partnerships separately, and also examined whether the patterns differed between men and women.
In this way, they were able to assess whether job instability was related solely to financial circumstances, or if the unpredictable nature of the work itself might also be linked to the stability of a relationship.
The results showed a clear association: workers subject to unstable and unpredictable schedules faced a higher risk of relationship dissolution. This held true both for married individuals and for those in stable domestic partnerships. The correlation was particularly strong when it was the men who faced highly unpredictable working conditions.
The study, however, shows an association and does not prove that unstable work schedules are, by themselves, the cause of breakups.
According to the authors, the findings help broaden how we think about the relationship between work and romantic life. Previous research has already shown that employment and income can influence the stability of relationships. But having a job does not necessarily mean having a routine that allows for building and maintaining a life together.
When work schedules change constantly, even simple tasks, such as having dinner together, picking up the children, scheduling an appointment, or planning a weekend, can become problematic. Thus, the unpredictability of work can directly affect family life, demonstrating that the conditions provided by employers can have consequences that extend well beyond the professional environment.
READ MORE:
Predictably Unstable?: Precarious Work and Precarious Relationships in the U.S
Harknett K, Bruey K, and Kuhlman E
Journal of Marriage and Family 1–17. 2026
Abstract:
This study examines the association between workers' experience of unpredictable and unstable work schedules and their risk of marital or cohabitation dissolution and whether these associations vary by gender. Employment and earnings are well-established predictors of relationship dissolution, with many studies demonstrating that men's employment and earnings stabilize relationships and debating whether women's employment and earnings have a stabilizing or destabilizing effect. What has gone missing and untested in this research and debate is the role of other job attributes that have profound effects on the rhythm of life, namely the predictability and consistency in the timing of work shifts. This study draws on longitudinal survey data of hourly service-sector workers in the United States collected between 2019 and 2024 by the Shift Project (n = 6918). Using linear probability models, married or cohabiting couples' risk of relationship dissolution as a function of work schedule instability is estimated. Hourly service-sector workers who are subject to unstable and unpredictable work schedules are at higher risk for relationship dissolution. Work schedule instability is associated with dissolution for both marital and cohabiting relationships, especially when men experience highly unstable and unpredictable schedule conditions. These results suggest that the demands of contemporary low-wage work, predicated on the ideal worker norm, are at odds with the maintenance and stability of marital and cohabiting unions.
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