Lack of sleep isn’t just a personal problem- it’s a workplace issue. It’s time to break the taboo and address fatigue for better productivity!
- Sleep deprivation affects focus, decision-making, and workplace productivity, increasing burnout and errors
- Open conversations about sleep at work can help employees and employers implement better coping mechanisms
- Employers should recognize sleep as part of workplace wellness and create strategies to combat chronic fatigue
Sleep deprivation is rarely mentioned in the workplace, despite the fact that persistent exhaustion brought on by inadequate sleep is a prevalent and increasing issue among working-age individuals. Jenni Tuomilehto’s Ph.D. dissertation at the University of Vaasa in Finland suggests that in addition to promoting candid conversations about sleep, companies can create common measures to avoid the problems that chronic exhaustion may cause (1).
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Sleep Deprivation Conversations at Work
The effect of inadequate sleep on workers’ performance is routinely disregarded, despite the fact that workplace health is an issue that is regularly discussed. All jobs are impacted by sleep deprivation, according to Jenni Tuomilehto, who will defend her dissertation at the University of Vaasa. However, talking about it with coworkers can even feel taboo, so many people are afraid to bring up the subject at work.
In her doctoral dissertation on human resource management, Tuomilehto looks at how sleep deprivation affects productivity at work and offers useful strategies for recognizing and controlling its consequences.
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How Sleep Deprivation Affects Productivity at Work
Lack of sleep causes multifaceted performance problems for workers in a variety of industries; this is a very regular occurrence. For example, fatigue impairs concentration, mood regulation, decision-making skills, and productivity. According to Tuomilehto, the likelihood of accidents, burnout, and disease rises concurrently.
According to Tuomilehto, those who are sleep-deprived should improve their coping mechanisms, such as by planning their jobs according to their difficulty level and working more slowly.
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Overcoming Difficulies Caused by Sleep Deprivation
In order to overcome the difficulties caused by sleep deprivation, employees must have the support of their coworkers. It should be possible to discuss sleep deprivation freely with coworkers and superiors because it has such a significant impact on well-being and productivity. This allows for the development of coping mechanisms, such as modifying work tasks, adding breaks, and modifying working hours. Everyone in the workplace should value getting enough sleep.
Useful Strategies for Managing Sleep Deprivation at Work
Tuomilehto offers a theoretical model in her dissertation that aids in identifying weariness brought on by sleep deprivation.
Additionally, the approach gives managers, human resources specialists, and others useful tools for sustaining productivity at work by avoiding chronic fatigue and exhaustion.
It is critical that sleep be more widely recognized as a component of workplace wellness management. Although people can use their own resources to manage their exhaustion, Tuomilehto emphasizes that employer assistance and collaboratively established coping mechanisms are essential.
References:
- Insufficient sleep should not be a taboo in the workplace – new research provides tools for addressing sleep-related challenges in management
(https://www.uwasa.fi/en/newshub/news/insufficient-sleep-should-not-be-taboo-workplace-new-research-provides-tools)
Source-Medindia