Employee Wellness Starts With Sleep

Sleep is vital to our health, yet most Americans are burning the candle at both ends. It’s so important to employee wellness that companies are beginning to offer special wellness programs centered around sleep. What can your company do to encourage healthy sleep habits?

Sleep Affects The Bottom Line

As it turns out, sleep deprivation is a serious issue that costs corporations billions every year. Absenteeism, work-related injuries, road accidents, and expensive mistakes can all be traced to lack of sleep. Insomnia related health care claims are on the rise with over 60 million Americans suffering from chronic sleep disorders. Lack of sleep affects everything from your judgement and concentration to your mood.

74% of U.S. workers say they work while tired, with nearly one-third (31%) saying they do so very often.

What Can You Do?

It starts with leadership. Show your team that you respect their personal time – which means you’re not at the office at all hours and answering emails at 2am. Prioritize work-life balance. If you model healthy habits to your direct reports, they will trickle down into your overall company culture.

Make sure you encourage breaks during work hours, especially ones that involve being active and outdoors. Daytime activity helps regulate circadian rhythm as does natural light. Be aware of the “all hands on deck” mentality that accompanies a tight deadline and break up these periods of time with lighter workflow in between.

Small problems due to sleep deprivation can turn into large problems like increased turnover, low morale, and lost sales/productivity. It’s smart business to invest in the health of your employees, and that’s not always by spending money on new technology or perks. While bringing attention to this issue may not sound fancy or exciting, it really will benefit your team – and company – in the long run.