How Does Sleep Affect Employee Engagement?

It is well established that sleep is crucial for overall health, and getting a good night’s rest is important for performing at ones best, but how does sleep affect employee engagement? Research has established a strong link. As World Sleep Day approaches, it is an ideal time to consider how lack of sleep can affect employees’ engagement levels in the workplace. In this blog, we will explore the impact of sleep deprivation on employee engagement and productivity, how sleep affects decision-making and problem-solving, and strategies for improving time spent asleep and its quality.

The importance of sleep for employee engagement
Sleep plays a crucial role in our overall health and well-being. It is during sleep that our body repairs and rejuvenates itself, allowing us to wake up feeling refreshed and recharged. A good night’s sleep is essential for peak performance, and this is especially true in the workplace. Studies have consistently shown that those who get adequate sleep are more productive and have higher levels of engagement than those who do not.

In fact, Katz et al. (2014) found that productivity reduced significantly for those that managed to get less than 7 hours – or more than 8 hours of sleep per night.  Essentially, sleep is important for cognitive function. During sleep, the brain processes and consolidates information, which is important for learning and memory.

The consequences of sleep deprivation on employee engagement
The Sleep Charity, defines sleep deprivation: “as the condition of not having enough sleep. It can be either chronic or acute and may vary widely in severity.”  They report that 40% of adults suffer with sleep issues at a cost of £40.2 billion to UK economy.

At a granular scale, sleep deprivation can have a significant impact on a person’s performance at work. Lack of sleep can lead to difficulties with concentration and memory, which can have a significant impact on employee engagement and productivity. Sleep-deprived individuals tend to work at a much slower rate and complete tasks more sluggishly than their well-rested counterparts. They are also less likely to take on difficult tasks, often without even realising it. Additionally, they have difficulty generating accurate solutions to problems and tend to make more mistakes.

In addition to the physical effects of sleep deprivation, it can also have a profound effect on a person’s mental wellbeing and can have a negative effect on self-worth and confidence levels. Those who are sleep deprived often feel more stressed and anxious, which can lead to decreased morale and engagement levels. Furthermore, sleep deprivation has been linked to higher levels of depression and lower levels of job satisfaction.

Lack of sleep can also influence mood and in terms of leadership, studies have shown that a lack of sleep can have a detrimental effect on leaders’ management style and results in them being less charismatic, having loss of self-control and being more abusive to others.  This would naturally have a negative effect on the engagement of their whole team.

Strategies for improving sleep quality and quantity
Employers can play a crucial role in promoting healthy sleep habits among their employees. Promoting good sleep and/or creating wellbeing strategies that include sleep, employers can help to improve the health and wellbeing of their employees, leading to higher levels of engagement. This can include:

1. Providing education on the importance of sleep and provide resources and information to help employees understand how it affects their overall health and wellbeing.
2. Setting boundaries so that no one is working late when they should be relaxing/sleeping.
3. Creating supportive environments so that people are free to discuss things that are worrying them – things that might have an impact on sleep.
4. Running a wellness challenge and including elements that promote good sleep like exercise, no screens for at least 1 hour before bed and/or cutting down on alcohol and caffeine.
5. If you provide employee benefits, include discounts for beds/gyms etc.
6. Offering flexible working that allows employees to prioritise their sleep, such as allowing employees to work from home or adjust their work hours.

Obviously, it’s not all down to the employer. There are several things that employees can do to improve their sleep quality and no. of hours spent sleeping. These include:

1. Creating a sleep-friendly environment: keeping the bedroom cool, dark, and quiet, and avoiding screens before bedtime.
2. Establishing a bedtime routine: This can include activities such as meditating, reading or taking a bath to help promote relaxation and signal to the body that it is time to sleep.
3. Limiting caffeine and alcohol intake, especially before bedtime, as they can interfere with sleep quality and quantity.
4. Exercising regularly can help to improve sleep quality and quantity, as well as overall health and wellbeing.

In conclusion, the link between sleep and employee engagement is clear. Sleep deprivation can lead to increased stress, anxiety, and depression, and can have a significant impact on employee performance affecting decision-making, problem-solving abilities, and the ability to manage others effectively. Promoting good sleep is crucial for maintaining a productive and engaged workforce.

The Sleep Charity website has resources available to all: https://thesleepcharity.org.uk/

At The Survey Initiative, we have a team of highly experienced experts in the field of employee survey services and offer bespoke surveys that we tailor to your exact business requirements so get in touch with our friendly team by emailing: info@surveyinitiative.co.uk