Do U.S. executives recognize the damage to their business that sleep deprivation causes?
A recent survey of 196 corporate leaders by McKinsey, the global consulting giant, found that 43 percent reported not getting enough sleep at least four nights a week. That is on par with the U.S. population as a whole, 40 percent of Americans don't get the recommended amount of sleep, according to studies.
McKinsey also reported that nearly half of those surveyed did not believe that lack of sleep had a major impact on performance. And yet, 83 percent believed that their organization did not educate leaders enough on the importance of sleep, suggesting that most of them are willing to entertain the idea that their business is being harmed by sleep deprivation.
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In a white paper on its website, McKinsey drew on research to argue that businesses should be more attentive to their employees' need for slumber.
It pointed out, for instance, that research has shown that 17-19 hours of wakefulness results in a cognitive impairment equivalent to a blood-alcohol content of 0.05, the legal limit for driving in many countries (not ours). After 20 hours, it said, the impairment is equal to a BAC of 0.1, comfortably above the legal limit in the U.S.
So what should companies do to combat the effects of fatigue in the workplace? Step one, says McKinsey, would be to teach company leaders and workers about the importance of sleep.
But the other changes are likely going to require business leaders to loosen the grip a little bit over employee schedules. They should stop trying to maximize their share of employees' time by making them take overnight flights on business trips, for instance, or they should instruct employees not to check emails at certain times and possibly impose mandatory vacation days.
Last but not least: nap rooms. "Research has shown that a short nap of 10 to 30 minutes improves alertness and performance for up to two and a half hours," said the report.
Interestingly, beyond its suggestion on business travel policies, the McKinsey report did not mention flexible scheduling, a phenomenon that some companies have implemented in efforts to help workers reduce their work/life conflicts. A recent study suggested that such policies do not impact productivity, but its implementation could increase employee happiness.
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