The impact of sleep quality
Ideally, we should all get an average of eight hours of sleep at night and wake up feeling rested and refreshed. But we all know that this isn’t always the case. Although sleep is an utterly private activity (unless, perhaps, you work at a mattress shop), the impact of sleep problems is very visible in the workplace. After all, those who do not sleep well (on a regular basis) do not perform at their best. From less focus and more procrastination to erratic performance, poor sleep quality (or even sleep deprivation) results in a greater risk of errors and in some cases, even serious incidents or work accidents. But how can you help your employees optimise their sleep routine?
Well-rested employees perform better. Although you don’t have a direct impact on sleep as an employer, you can still contribute to good sleep quality for your employees. Those who work shifts and nights are at particular risk. Their varying schedule works against their natural biological clock (chronobiological patterns), which affects them significantly. This results in fatigue, lower sense of recovery, and a noticeably higher error rate. In occupations in which alertness is critical to safety, good sleep quality is also essential to reducing risks.
A company loses an average of six productive days a year for every employee who sleeps fewer than six hours. And according to figures from the Royal Academy of Medicine of Belgium, one in three Belgians sleeps poorly. Consequently, poor sleep quality therefore has both a significant financial and productivity impact.
Help your employees sleep deeply
1. Work schedule adaptations
How work is organised has a decisive impact on sleep quality. A system with flexible starting hours and/or a homeworking policy can make a huge difference for some employees. This allows them to start at times that align better with their natural biological rhythm.
Structural complexity is a factor at organisations with shift and night work. Have Mensura analyse and optimise your shift system. Ensure a healthy rotation system for shift work, taking into account the necessary recovery time. Also keep in mind that newcomers to shift schedules need time to adjust. The necessary support has a positive impact on mental and physical wellbeing.
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2. Care and support
Errors resulting from fatigue are not synonymous with individual failure. These are indicators linked to insufficient sleep, stress, or other possible mental challenges. It is important for HR specialists and managers to safely discuss impaired performance to determine whether this is the result of mental problems or exhaustion.
3. Policy, agreements, and regulations
When fatigue is not addressed or discussed, it often results in compensation behaviour: more consumption of coffee, energy drinks, and sugary snacks. These provide an instant energy boost, but almost always result in a longer dip afterwards. In other words, they do not solve the problem, but may even further reduce sleep quality.
You can also indirectly boost your employees’ sleep quality in a positive way. These are not ‘sleep tips’, but changes that support biological rhythm: sufficient daylight, reduced screen use, outdoor breaks, access to healthy food, and opportunities for mental decompression.
Tried-and-tested in practice: Sleep Action Plan
“We developed a custom ‘Sleep Action Plan’ for a large company with around-the-clock activity. We created a brochure for all employees, made short videos with practical tips, and gave employees the opportunity to ask an expert personal questions. We also introduced tools like light therapy glasses. The action plan was first tested in a pilot group, then fine-tuned and rolled out across the entire organisation. Some components, such as the videos, are permanently available, making it a sustainable support tool for all employees.” — Dorien Simons, vitality expert at Mensura.
Develop with Mensura Learn&Connect
In this interactive, customised training course, employees gain a better understanding of the general issues surrounding alcohol and drugs. For managers, we offer a more specialised version, which teaches them how to deal appropriately with problematic behaviour linked to alcohol or drugs.