**Janika Mette \*, Swantje Robelski, Maria Kirchhöfer, Volker Harth and Stefanie Mache**

Institute for Occupational and Maritime Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20459 Hamburg, Germany; s.robelski@uke.de (S.R.); maria.kirchhoefer@googlemail.com (M.K.); harth@uke.de (V.H.); s.mache@uke.de (S.M.)

**\*** Correspondence: j.mette@uke.de; Tel.: +49-40-428-37-4256

Received: 14 December 2018; Accepted: 12 January 2019; Published: 16 January 2019

**Abstract:** Offshore wind workers in Germany usually spend 14 days offshore, alternating with 14 days of spare time at home. The offshore lifestyle may considerably affect offshore workers' partners and families. However, there is a lack of evidence regarding the psychosocial adaptation among offshore wind couples living the 14/14 schedule. The present study intended to offer a contemporary view on the topic from the perspective of the women of offshore workers. Our aim was (1) to examine the perceived features of living the 14/14 schedule, (2) explore women's coping strategies, and (3) investigate their views on the reconciliation of offshore work and partnership/family life. The women reported differentiated views on the benefits and costs associated with their living situation, and stated various coping strategies that facilitated psychosocial adaptation. Despite some burdens, overall, most of the women seemed to have adapted relatively favourably to their lifestyle. This was particularly eased by recent sociological and technological advances, e.g., improved communication technologies.

**Keywords:** offshore wind industry; reconciliation of offshore work and family life/partnership; coping strategies; psychosocial adaptation; qualitative analysis

### **1. Introduction**

In Germany, coastal areas of the Northern and Baltic Sea offer possibilities for the construction of offshore wind parks. The growth of the German offshore wind industry as part of the green energy revolution is shown by recent figures: in the first six months of 2018, 62 new wind energy convectors were taken into operation [1]. All in all, there were 20 German offshore wind parks by the end of June 2018, generating about 5.300 megawatt (MW) [2]. This development goes along with an increase in employment figures in the branch. Recent estimates indicate that approximately 27,200 workers, most of them men, are currently employed in the German offshore wind industry along the value chain [3].

Offshore wind jobs are associated with many hardships, as well as physical and psychological demands for their employees [4–7]. A key element of working in the German offshore wind branch is the 14/14 work schedule that is applied: offshore wind workers usually spend 14 days offshore, where they work in 12-h-shifts and live on platforms, ships, or neighboring islands. These periods of leave alternate with 14 days of spare time the workers spend at home. From a psychosocial viewpoint, this schedule implies that the workers are confronted with a phase of absolute separation from their families and social environment, followed by an intensive free time period spent together. The 14/14 work schedule is unique and qualitatively different from other work patterns, e.g., work schedules of shift workers or employees with on-call-work. While the latter jobs still allow off-duty time at home each day, offshore workers spend entire weeks away [8]. The 14/14 schedule of workers in the offshore wind industry also deviates considerably from the schedules of other commute workers: the periods

of absence of offshore workers are longer than those of commuters coming home for the weekend, but shorter than those of, e.g., seafarers in the maritime sector spending months away from home.

It has recently been noted that the recurrent absences from home represent a job demand for many offshore wind workers, leading to difficulties in reconciling offshore work and family life [5,6,9]. However, the specific lifestyle of the offshore personnel does not only influence the workers themselves, but may also affect their partners and families at home who must deal with the repeated partings, reunions, and phases of intermittent absence. For example, female partners of offshore workers may find it challenging to manage all domestic and parenting tasks alone, to deal with the disruption to shared family activities, and to establish routines in their daily life. Likewise, there could be certain features of the 14/14 schedule that may potentially enhance family life, e.g., the chance to continuously spend intensive time together on a regular basis.

The notion of women experiencing difficulties in dealing with the intermittent absences of their partners is supported by studies carried out in branches with extended periods away from home, e.g., the offshore oil and gas branch and mining industries [8,10–12]. Research from the offshore oil and gas sector has indicated that partners staying at home experience various demands on their own [8], being condensed within the statement of "living two lives". Moreover, early research on the intermittent presence and absence of offshore oil and gas workers has differentiated between three perceived phases for the couples: her single life at home, his offshore life, and their common life together [11]. Specific demands for the women, as revealed in previous studies, consisted of experienced negative emotions, as well as difficulties related to role allocation and family structures [8,13].

Similar to offshore branches, mining industries are also characterized by long distance commuting and specific rosters. They are often referred to as fly-in fly-out (FIFO) branches. The presence of the partner at home is also rather frequent and extended in the FIFO branches in comparison to other industries with prolonged absences. It has been proposed that the living situation of FIFO couples may be described as a cycle with the stages reunion, time commonly spend together, parting, and time alone [12]. In this cycle, every stage was associated with certain demands, adjustments, and negotiations to be made by the couples, and with a range of perceived emotions attached to the transitions.

Although the offshore lifestyle was found to be related to specific demands, an early study among so-called offshore wives did not find differences between the mental and physical health of offshore and onshore wives [14]. Likewise, recent research results suggest a healthy functioning range for psychological wellbeing, relationship satisfaction, and perceptions of family function in FIFO workers and their partners [15]. Further research on the health of FIFO families showed a generally high level of family cohesion, healthy flexibility, and a general contentment with regard to family satisfaction and communication [10].

The ability to deal with the challenges encountered by partners of commute workers may partly depend on the coping strategies being applied. According to the transactional approach of Folkman and Lazarus [16,17], coping can be defined as the cognitive and behavioral efforts made to master, tolerate, or reduce external and internal demands, as well as conflicts among them. Coping efforts may either concern the management of the stress-inducing problem (problem-focused coping) or the regulation of emotions or distresses (emotion-focused coping) related to the situation encountered [16,17]. Research among FIFO families has, for example, indicated the existence of different coping strategies of the couples to deal with the difficulties they have encountered. As described in an interview study, such strategies encompassed maintaining open communication, parting on good terms and without major arguments or conflicts, and generally maintaining a positive attitude towards the situation [12].

Despite existing research studies in FIFO and offshore oil and gas industries, there is a lack of evidence regarding the situation of offshore wind couples living the specific 14/14 schedule. Findings for couples in the oil and gas and FIFO branches are not directly applicable to the situation of couples in the offshore wind industry, since the work schedules in the branches can differ considerably, and employees in the afore mentioned branches usually do not follow the 14/14 work pattern as applied in the German offshore wind branch. Moreover, there are further differences between the branches, e.g., regarding specific regulations, work areas, and work tasks [4,6,18].

In addition, much of the existing research on offshore couples dealing with intermittent absences was conducted in the 80's, 90's, and early 00's, indicating a need for an updated view. Within the last decades, profound organizational, technological, and sociological changes have taken place which pertain to offshore industries [8]. For example, the extension of means of communication provides couples with further possibilities to keep in regular contact. Changes in society have also occurred in terms of women's qualifications and employment rates, making it more likely that women of offshore workers are engaged in paid work. Finally, as a corollary of social changes, women's role models and aspirations have evolved: nowadays, women tend to have stronger expectations as to their husband's involvement in childcare and housekeeping [8]. Such recent changes could have either beneficial or detrimental impacts on the living situation of couples dealing with intermittent absences, which has not yet been empirically explored.

Since a further increase in the offshore wind workforce is to be expected, more couples and families will have to deal with the particularities of living the 14/14 schedule. Therefore, it is crucial to conduct up-to-date research and generate new knowledge on the specific features of this lifestyle. This study intended to offer a contemporary view on the psychosocial adaptation of offshore wind families against the background of the modern society and working world.

The aim of our study was to examine how women of male offshore wind workers perceive the specific features of living the 14/14 schedule. In adherence to the approach by Parkes and colleagues [8], we focused on the different phases of women's daily life, including aspects of being home alone and time spent together as a couple. Moreover, our purpose was to investigate the coping strategies of the women and the couples to deal with the specific living situation. Furthermore, we aimed to explore the women's perceptions of the reconciliation of offshore work and partnership/family life.

We proposed the following research questions:

	- (1) life without offshore partner;
	- (2) life together as a couple/family;
	- (3) transition phases (reunion/parting)?

#### **2. Materials and Methods**

#### *2.1. Study Design and Participants*

We conducted 14 semi-structured telephone interviews with female partners of German offshore wind workers from January to March 2017. The interviews were carried out by two female psychologists working as researchers in occupational health psychology at the time of the study. We applied purposeful sampling and recruited interviewees of different ages, with and without children, and with offshore partners working in different companies. Participants were eligible if they were female, fluent in the German language, and at least 18 years old. Moreover, the females' partners had to have worked for at least six months in the offshore wind industry, and had to have experiences with the 14/14 work schedule. To recruit suitable participants, we sent invitation mails, emails, and leaflets to German offshore wind workers from different companies who had already participated in a prior interview study conducted at the research institute [5,6]. Moreover, we posted the study information on online platforms and forums for German offshore wind workers. We asked the workers to inform their female

partners, who then contacted us directly via mail or telephone. Study participation was voluntary. Prior to the interviews, participants were asked to sign a declaration of informed consent. All participants were in a position to understand and consent to the study requirements, and provided written informed consent. The interviews were conducted until no new themes were identified, i.e., data saturation was reached. They were conducted in German and were tape recorded. Interview length was from 28 to 54 min. Participants were able to terminate the interviews at any time. No non-participants were present during the interviews. No repeat interviews were carried out. Field notes were made immediately after each interview.
