Dear HR Executive:
You don’t want people sleeping on the job, naturally. But you do want people to sleep well off the job.
That’s because the effects of sleep deprivation can hurt your bottom line. Lack of sleep causes a clear decline in attention, resulting in increased safety risks and lower productivity.
These points emerge from a new study on the effects of sleep deprivation from Michigan State University. Using DOL data, researchers looked at the sleep-deprivation effects on workers of the “spring forward” change from standard time to daylight time. They found that workers lost an average of 40 minutes of sleep, with the result that workplace injuries rose 6%.
The research will be reported in the September issue of the Journal of Applied Psychology.
The researchers also generalized their conclusions to any kind of sleep deprivation, whether caused by time changes or something else. “Lost sleep causes attention levels to drop off,” they said.
Are your people suffering from the effects of sleep deprivation? Is their rest being damaged by increased job pressure, economic stress and family responsibilities? If you think this is a problem, you might consider adding sleep therapy to your wellness program.
Dave Clemens
Editor
HR Café Newsletter
UPCOMING AUDIO CONFERENCE: Don't miss B21’s upcoming audio conference , "Goal-Setting for Supervisors: Why It's the Key to Getting Results, and How to Do It Right." On Wednesday, July 15, our speaker, Gary Ryan Blair will challenge you to rethink the way you go about setting, measuring, obtaining buy in, and achieving your organizational goals. Blair will focus on specific strategies to maximize your results with a fast-moving series of methods, ideas and techniques each participant can apply in every area of life and work. Learn the keys to personal effectiveness, maximum achievement and unlimited success in your field.
Comments