A study from Integrated Safety Support of 1,000 white-collar workers found that nearly half of respondents reported a decline in the quality of their sleep over the past year.
Women in particular struggled more than men, with 35% stating below average sleep quality in comparison to 25% of men.
The research also revealed that more than one in three workers check their emails right before bed, 35% work in their pajamas and 31% work from their beds. These habits can cause boundaries between work and home to blur, which can lead to burnout.
Young workers specifically found it difficult to separate their personal and professional lives, mainly due to the lack of space they have in their homes for a dedicated workspace. In fact, workers under 25 were twice as likely to work from their bed compared to those 25 and over.
According to Dr. Adam Fletcher, founder of Integrated Safety Support, business leaders need to do more to support a healthy sleeping culture in their workforce.
“Fatigue in the workplace is a shared risk – both to safety and performance – so it’s also a shared responsibility amongst management and their teams to create conditions that support healthy sleep, improve productivity and minimise fatigue,” said Dr. Fletcher.
