"In a fast-paced world where time is precious and demands are constant, the value of a good night's sleep often goes underestimated."
- Andrew Marchant, Protection Claims Liaison Manager and Mental Health First Aider at Canada Life
According to the latest research conducted by Canada Life, over a third (36%) of adults in the UK don’t feel they get enough rest. On average, adults sleep for 6 hours 12 minutes per day; this is dramatically under the NHS recommendation of 7-9 hours.
READ MORE: Canada Life: Lack of sleep has led to 14.4m sick days annually
It’s vital that sleep, whether that be the quality or the number of hours, isn’t seen as a luxury. It's a fundamental pillar of our physical and mental wellbeing, with far-reaching implications on both personal health, relationships, and professional performance.
So, why don’t we pay enough attention to sleep?
Alongside its importance to physical and mental wellbeing, sleep also allows your body time to physically ‘recharge’ itself and remove toxins. Without it, our ability to concentrate and function becomes impaired, potentially leading to further health complications. As such, there’s an important role for employers to play in supporting employees in being their best selves in the workplace given the profound impact poor sleep can have on all aspects of health. Access to sleep support is a good first step.
According to Mind, there is a strong correlation between sleep, or lack thereof, and productivity in the workplace, so it’s unsurprising to learn that restless nights are causing restless employees. With poor sleep contributing to more than one in ten (11%) sick days in the last year, employers and employees should have a vested interest when it comes to getting enough sleep. In my mind, these statistics speak volumes: employees grappling with sleep issues often experience more sick days, see their productivity dwindle in the workplace, and absenteeism.
A lose-lose situation for both employers and employees.
However, a lack of sleep is not only impacting productivity, but also our economy. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), approximately 185.6m working days were lost in 2022 due to absence; this costs the UK economy roughly £100bn annually. And yet, worryingly, the motivation for employees to seek help with poor sleep is minimal. 70% of those who don’t get sufficient, good quality sleep haven’t actively sought support in the last 12 months.
In my opinion, seeking independent support to improve sleep quality doesn’t need to be a complex or expensive endeavor if employers were to play a pivotal role in fostering a workplace culture of wellbeing and sleep support. This is especially important during the era of flexible working where it can be more challenging to identify issues with employees’ wellbeing. For example, making time for regular check-ins and creating a space for open dialogue around mental health, work-life balance, and sleep concerns, will help foster an environment of honesty around wellbeing.
As well as creating an open dialogue between employee and employer, there are various digital resources available that employers can tap into.
Apps that give employees access to services such as virtual GP support, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), or sleep aids and mindfulness, can be a highly effective - and much sought after - employee resource.
In a world where sleep deprivation is becoming all too common, employers must start taking proactive steps to support employees with the quality of their sleep.
