How much do you value your employees sleep?
Sleep is an involuntary, essential process for humans in order to be able to function. Sleep is a necessity for assisting with repairing and restoring the brain and body. On average a healthy daily amount of sleep should be between seven and nine hours per night.
Employees who have less than the average amount of sleep needed per night are more likely to be de-motivated, short tempered and unproductive during working hours.
Recent research carried out by Rand Europe has looked into the impact on cost of sleep deprivation within different countries. From the results found Rand Europe are now urging employers to promote the importance of sleep within their health and well-being programmes and have recommended the benefits involved in creating a ‘nap room’.
| Country | Days lost | Cost of days lost | % of GDP |
| US | 1.2 million days per year | $411bn | 2.28% |
| Japan | 600,00 days per year | $138bn | 2.92% |
| UK | 200,000 days per year | £40bn | 1.86% |
| Germany | 200,000 days per year | $60bn | 1.56% |
| Canada | 80,000 days per year | $21.4bn | 1.35% |
Many companies rely on a strategic sleep management programme for health and safety and legal reasons – for example transport drivers must have a maximum of 11 hours rest between shift twice a week or 9 hours rest three times a week. As well as managers of shift workers needed to ensure complete clarification of hours in both March and October when the clocks change.
Athlete Usain Bolt has recently commented on the importance of a sleep management programme. ‘Sleep is extremely important to me; I need to rest and recover in order for the training I do to be absorbed by my body.’
Within the UK only 32% of employers have a structure in place within their business to control employee health and wellbeing through sleep management.
Having a health and wellbeing strategy within a company can directly help to motivate, focus and encourage employees to have a healthier work life balance.
Often Employers promote their employee benefits but it is uncommon to include a sleep management programme – whereas encouraging advice on the correct amount of sleep can help to reduce stress and improve recovery from common illnesses within the workplace.
As a specialised independent insurance broker BDHL aim to provide a total health insurance service. We work with all the leading health and risk insurance companies providing cover in the following areas: Private Medical Insurance, Group Income Protection, Group Life, Group Critical Illness, Corporate Health and Wellbeing, Cash Plans, Employee Assisted Programmes’ Dental and Travel.
If you are interested in how BDHL can work with your company to provide a complete health and wellbeing package to ensure your employees are motivated and valued then speak to a member of the BDHL team today on +44(0)1892 891900 or email enquiries@bdhl.co.uk
