New research has outlined a number of opportunities to keep fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) workers safe and engaged on shift, helping move the industry away from what has been described as a “short-term” strategy.
Findings from MPI Recruitment have found a number of key pain-points for FIFO workers, with key suggestions made to alleviate worker burnout and stress through conversations at boardroom level.
Key findings from the report highlight only one-in-four FIFO workers believe their roster is sustainable beyond six months without change and more than half signalling rosters are unsustainable and can cause burnout.
The answer, the report suggests, is assessing how FIFO shifts are structured to ensure workers have enough time to recover from work.
“The mining industry has invested heavily in improving safety and workplace culture in recent years,” the report states. “But the survey suggests roster design may remain one of the most important, and most overlooked factors shaping physical and mental wellbeing, and long-term retention.”
With FIFO work remaining an attractive career path for many Australians, changing how rosters are structured may help future-proof the industry and move away from the “short-term” nature that is cited to be creeping in.
Suggestions to reduce fatigue and better manage workforces include altering shift swings from 3 weeks work to one week rest (3:1) to a more even split of 2 weeks working and 2 weeks resting (2:2).
“While some roster structures are driven by project demands and can’t be changed, the question then becomes: What support systems are in place around them?” the report said.
“Are companies actively assessing mental resilience before assigning longer swings, checking in regularly with workers on extended rosters, and ensuring those new to mining aren’t placed straight into higher-strain rotations like 2:1 or 3:1 without support?”
Other suggestions include a balances seven days working to seven days off and more frequent breaks during work rotations.
The anonymous poll, conducted between 2nd March and 16th March 2026, gathered responses from 207 FIFO workers across a range of sites and roster types.
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