

Tiredness poses a real problem and ensuring
that employees turn up for work energized and alert is a joint responsibility
and a smart business strategy.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has
declared insufficient sleep a ‘public health problem’, with more than one-third
of American adults not getting enough sleep on a regular basis.
Sleep deprivation comes with a higher mortality rate, in
addition to lost productivity at work and even being unable to stay awake
during the day. The recommendation is that each of us should get seven to nine hours sleep a night however many people are only
sleeping for five to six hours.
The Rand
Corporation has found that on an annual basis, the U.S. loses an equivalent of around
1.2 million working days due to insufficient sleep. In addition, sacrificing
sleep means that you are more likely to succumb to colds and flu, weight gain,
and heart disease.
Who is impacted the most? The National Safety Council and CDC
reported that shift workers were particularly affected with 62 percent of night
workers experiencing sleep loss. The following five occupation groups felt the biggest
brunt:
1.
Production
(42.9%)
2.
Healthcare
support (40.1%)
3.
Healthcare
practitioners and technical (40.0%)
4.
Food
preparation and serving-related (39.8%)
5.
Protective
service (39.2%)
What can employers do to support employees, promote better
sleep habits, and help them to perform better at work?
1.
Recognize the importance of sleep and the symptoms of lack of
sleep. Impairment can be a safety issue.
2.
Education. Provide training from sleep experts who will often
deliver a free lunch-and-learn program on how employees can develop a
consistent sleep habit. Display posters and materials on how to promote better
sleep habits.
3.
Consider a buddy system at work to encourage a co-worker to
take a break.
4.
Offer flexible work hours. This may be beneficial for
employees who have a long traffic-jam commute.
5.
Limit after-hours work commitments and time spent working on
computers to reduce the impact of blue light.
Wouldn't it be a good idea to create a course?