While most Americans work traditional 9-to-5 schedules, checking in like clockwork every morning and out every evening, many employees are so-called shift workers, punching in at midnight or working various shifts around the clock.
Betsy Connolly used to be one of those shift workers. She learned first-hand the challenges faced by shift-working Americans and their families, and out of her experience came Working Nights, a company Connolly started that provides educational materials and consulting services to shift workers to help improve their lives and their companies' productivity and performance.
In an interview with BIZ, Connolly talks about her experiences as a shift worker, the challenges and rewards of owning a business, and why she decided to obtain a National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce® (NGLCC) certification for her business last July.
BIZ: What kind of business is Working Nights?
BC: We provide educational material and consulting to help improve company results and work/life balance for people working in 24/7 jobs.
BIZ: Have you always been in business, or did you start out in a different career?
BC: I have always been in business. I majored in accounting in college and worked in accounting and financial services for more than 20 years before starting this company.
BIZ: Have you experienced nighttime shift work? Is this how you fell into your current area of business? If not, what inspired you to help shift workers who work during the nighttime hours?
BC: I did shift work for Marriott Corporation years ago. I got into this business because I worked for another firm that did consulting on the same issues. I realized that shift workers and their employers face very unique health and safety challenges. For example, shift workers typically only get five hours of sleep per 24-hour period. This contributes to an increased risk of low productivity, drowsy driving, sleep disorders, cardiac issues, obesity, diabetes, gastrointestinal disease and depression. There are many things shift workers can do to prevent these issues, it's just a matter of educating them. That's what we do.
BIZ: What have been the most challenging and the most rewarding aspects of owning a business?
BC: The most challenging issue is financial—banks are just not lending to businesses our size so we can't grow as quickly as we would like. The most rewarding aspect is knowing that clients love our material and that they learn something from us that can improve their lives.
BIZ: Why did you decide to get an NGLCC certification for your business?
BC: Being gay myself, I felt it was important to support other gay businesses. By getting certified, we would support NGLCC, which would, in turn, grow and help other gay-owned businesses. I also felt it could help us get new business over time.
BIZ: How do you think having a certification will benefit you and/or your business ?
BC: I think that, over time, being NGLCC-certified will help our business set itself apart from other firms. Already there are a few large companies we have spoken with that have a real interest in promoting LGBT-owned businesses. I'm hoping to convert them to customers over the next few years.
