Sleeping on the job: Is napping in the workplace taking off?

Build it into our culture

The business case for getting it right is clear, and extends beyond just helping people to feel rested. More than 200,000 working days are lost to insufficient sleep every year in the UK, and sleep deprivation increases the risk of other serious health problems at a time when sickness absence is at a 10-year high. For employees who find sleep hard to come by – new parents, carers and people experiencing the menopause – it’ll make an immediate difference to both wellbeing and performance.

But before office managers run out to bulk buy pillows, it’s important to ensure that the workplace culture is one that genuinely allows for rest and downtime; like any benefit, this needs to be one that employees feel able to use. Businesses should conduct an internal analysis of their culture and operations to ensure that plans to embrace rest don’t come up against an ‘always-on’ culture that is causing stress and preventing people from taking opportunities to rest. Leaders should also take a frank look at people’s workloads and start there if they want to boost wellbeing – you can’t rest your way around a crammed calendar.

Build it into our communication

With any change in the workplace routine, there will be hearts and minds to be won when making space for rest in the workplace, which means it’s crucial to communicate why and how rest spaces should be used. It’s not just about banishing the notion that they’re to compensate for excessive working hours, but also giving people permission to use them when they need to.

Communication is also crucial when it comes to larger changes in culture (change management) – make it clear that rest doesn’t just mean sleep, but also active breaks such as walks outside or just taking 15 minutes to decompress between meetings. Most importantly, make choice a key part of this message – give people the freedom to choose how they rest best.

While, ultimately, it’s unlikely that the City of London will be implementing a siesta any time soon, there is reason behind the rise in rest and sleep in the workplace. There are more demands than ever on our time, attention, health and wellbeing, many of which get in the way of sleep, so making space for rest in the workplace is the right choice when it comes to keeping employees and businesses healthy.

Build it into our workplace designs

In reality, a rest-friendly workplace will look different according to the individual requirements and daily routines of each business, but there are measures that any workplace can implement to create a restful space. Incorporating touches of residential style in the office is a good starting point. This aesthetic, known as ‘resimercial’, is becoming more and more common as designers seek to add a sense of ‘home’ to commercial spaces, and it’ll help people feel more comfortable unwinding. Dimmable and customisable lighting is another way to give people the ability to tone down their environment and encourage restfulness.

Of course, areas designated for rest, and especially those for sleep, need acoustic division from busy or social areas, so consider testing noise levels before picking areas for rest. Colour is another key consideration – blues, greens and whites are known for their ability to induce calm and restfulness. There doesn’t have to be just one area for rest, however, and spacing rest or sleep ‘pods’ throughout the office will make them more accessible.

Technology is one of the main reasons why many people feel unable to switch off or take a break (both at work and at home), and we need to recognise its role in preventing rest as much as boosting connectivity. Establishing tech-free zones will encourage people to genuinely leave their work behind for a moment, recharge their batteries, or chat to a colleague in the real world.