Lack of Sleep is Sapping Productivity
By Besty Taylor

      不少人现在都有睡眠不足或失眠的困扰。噪音或光照干扰睡眠，高温或严寒影响睡眠，卧具不适如过硬或者被褥过厚或过薄都影响睡眠。改换睡眠环境如住院或住旅馆也可以引起失眠。同睡者尤其是鼾声大的同睡者也是导致失眠的原因之一。为自己或亲人的疾病焦虑、害怕手术、亲人亡故、为考试或接受重要工作而担心等都有是暂时性失眠的常见原因。睡眠不足，会直接导致我们思维迟缓、头脑紧张、注意力不集中、行动迟缓、厌烦、忧虑、倦怠，对工作缺乏热情，使工作主动性与工作意愿下降，从而降低工作效率。而且睡觉时间不够的人会行动迟缓，注意力不集中，反应迟钝，运动技巧更差。另外，瞌睡还会导致平衡能力和深层感知能力受损。

      改善睡眠不足，提升工作效率还是有很多方法的。多睡一会儿当然是最有效的，那么什么时间入睡合适呢？根据你需要起床的时间往前推8个半小时，就是你需要上床睡觉的时间了。尽量每天都在同一个时间段睡觉，这样身体代谢才会更加有规律，排毒活动才能有条不紊的进行。作为管理人员或企业主，在考量提升工作效率方面，可以为员工提供一些健身福利，比如为员工办健身卡鼓励员工锻炼，在办公室内设置健身仪器等。锻炼可以很好的帮助员工调节身心，有助于员工收获高质量的睡眠体验，让第二天工作时精力充沛。这样员工“睡不够”的问题才能很好解决。如果一些人加班时间太久，给员工一个带薪年假也是不错的安排。此外，杜绝在睡前饮用含咖啡因的提神饮料、睡前不进行太激烈的运动，尽量从事阅读、听轻音乐、香氛、沐浴等让身体放松的活动更有助于解决睡眠不足的问题，让员工精神饱满地投入到工作中。

Sleep deprivation is extremely dangerous not just for employers but also employees, costing companies in billions, and leaving the workers prone to depression, heart conditions, obesity and headaches.
 

Being an HR professional, you will most likely be interested in finding new means that could help boost productivity and work quality among your company employees. Studies suggest that there is a very simple step that employers can take to achieve these objectives: promoting sound sleeping habits.
 

Well rested and fresh employees report that they are less stressed, happier and much more focused on their jobs as compared to their sleep-deprived colleagues.
 

Unfortunately, most American workers are not getting sufficient amount of sleep at night. According to the surveys conducted by the Better Sleep Council, around 49% Americans feel that they do not get enough sleep, whereas 56% of the employed US citizens experience at least one indication of insomnia on a regular basis. Moreover, around 79% of the surveyed state that they would feel much more prepared for the workday with one extra hour of sleep every night. Clearly, healthy and sound sleeping habits are an imperative issue for several employees.
 

Lack of sleep can be detrimental to the health of your workers. The adverse side effects associated with poor sleeping habits include low moods and irritability, depression, decreased critical thinking skills, low mental alertness and several chronic conditions like diabetes and heart diseases. Moreover, poor sleeping habits are linked with increased amount of employee absenteeism.
 

What Can Be Done?

So, what can you do here? If you intend to have a big picture, ensure you have an open discussion with your tired team so that you could easily determine how to remedy this kind of a situation.
 

Wellness programs happen to be a great approach to boost healthy habits among your workers, including their sleeping habits. Most workers should be aiming for approximately 8 hours of sleep every night. Sleeping promotion programs can be added to your company’s wellness program if poor sleeping habits tend to be an issue among your workers.

There are healthcare centres out there that can also provide insomnia screening and treatment, as well as sleep learning programs and therapy sessions for workers. If there is a medical problem that causes sleep deprivation, these professionals can surely help to uncover it.
 

Furthermore, it is crucial for employers to adopt company-wide policies that boost sound sleeping habits. These include notable policies that are useful in bringing down the workplace stressors and boost a healthy work-life balance, like capping their weekly work hours, allowing workers to work from the convenience of their home once in a while, and giving them paid time off to fully recharge their energy.

Offering your employees flexibility and convenience to boost their physical activity levels and engage in workouts during the workday can also be quite beneficial. This can vary from having standing workstations or walking meetings, to encouraging lunchtime workouts like doing yoga, exercises, walking or running. Having increased physical activity can certainly help with sound sleeping habits.

HR managers may also consider having an office-wide sleep challenge program, coming with incentives for all those workers who make time for sleep. One other great option would be to offer your employees stipends for sleep-boosting activities, such as gym memberships, massage therapy, and insomnia treatment.

Can Technology Help?

Technology can be extremely beneficial in promoting healthy sleeping habits among your company employees. Several latest wearable tech devices are accessible that can aid people track as well as monitor sleeping habits. Such devices help provide an insight into why an employee may not be sleeping well at night, and underscore the significance of sound sleep at night. You can always consider offering them with wearable tech devices as part of your company’s comprehensive wellness program.

Do not Push Yourself Too Hard - Sleep

Pushing late into the night happens to be a health as well as productivity killer. The short term efficiency gains that you may have from skipping your sleep routine to work more are hastily washed away by the harmful effects of sleep deprivation on your ability to focus, lower moods, and access to high-level brain functionality for days to come. The negative effects of sleep deprivation are just so great that even drunk people outperform those who lack sleep!

Furthermore to improving employee retention as well as reducing absenteeism, sound sleeping habits among employees can also have an insightful impact on your company’s revenue. Studies indicate that poor sleeping habits of your employees can result in productivity loss of approximately $2280 per worker, each year.

Because sound sleeping habits are an essential aspect of a healthy lifestyle, employers should think about addressing the aspect of sleep at their wellness centres and onsite clinics. Make sure to have a wellness program that helps promote healthier lifestyles for not just employers but also employees.