Employee Wellbeing
Sleep is essential for our health and wellbeing yet it is estimated that 40% of the population suffer with sleep issues and many do not get the support that they need. Poor sleep impacts significantly on day to day life and has a major impact on absenteeism and presenteeism.
Sleep deprivation can have a seriously damaging effect on our mental and physical health but also on job retention and performance.
A worker sleeping less than six hours loses around six working days due to absenteeism or presenteeism per year more than a worker sleeping seven to nine hours. A person sleeping six to seven hours loses on average about 3.7 working days more per year.
Sleep deprivation is more prevalent in certain industry sectors but as it increases generally and ultimately affects work, it’s important that organisations consider sleep issues as part of their staff’s mental and physical wellbeing and find ways to help ensure their employees are well rested.
Sleep also needs to be recognised as a vital component of mental health. Links between sleep and depression are strong. Approximately three quarters of depressed patients have insomnia symptoms. Getting quality sleep means we are recharged and ready to face what life may throw at us. We know that coping with feelings of stress and anxiety can be much more difficult when you’re tired from disturbed sleep.
Shift Work & Sleep
Around 12% of the UK workforce work night shifts and shiftworkers on average get approx. 6.5 hours sleep in a 24 hour period.
The impact of shift work is vast, affecting both physical and mental health and an increased likelihood of errors and accidents.
Driver Fatigue
Research shows that even moderate sleep deprivation affects driving performance to the same degree as low-level alcohol intoxication.
We want to ensure that employers have a duty of care and responsibility for health and safety in the workplace. This should include reviewing guidelines around sleep to decrease the risk of workplace and driving accidents.
Charter for Sleep Equality
We are working hard to raise awareness about the importance of sleep and the lack of support available. Let’s work together to provide a framework for championing better sleep that underpins better mental health and wellbeing for the nation.
Those who sign up to the Charter will promote good sleep health within their business/organisation, among their employees or students and throughout the community in the UK.
Downloads
Employer ‘Sleep and Recovery’ Toolkit
Business in the Community in partnership with Public Health England (PHE) have produced the first ever sleep and recovery toolkit. The toolkit offers insight and advice on addressing the increasingly damaging sleep-loss epidemic affecting the nation.
Find out more
If you want to find out more about the training we can offer your organisation, please do get in touch.
Some of our corporate clients
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