1. People with jobs usually don’t get enough sleep
Let’s start with the most sympathetic reason to let your staff take naps. Chances are that your employees are not getting as much sleep as they need. According to a 2011 poll by the National Sleep Foundation, 43 percent of Americans claim they don’t get enough sleep. This is due to having a lot on their plates and not being able to sleep because of stress. Even with the best sleeping pills or smartest tricks for falling asleep some still aren’t able to get the sleep they need at night. It’s beneficial to give them some time to rest during the work day. Empathy alone is a solid reason to let your staff take a nap every day.
2. Employees rarely spend their whole shifts working
There has been plenty of research done that proves that employees are wasting most of their work hours, on the internet or other things that don’t have to do with what they’re employed to be doing. If the time they spend doing things unrelated to work is spent taking a nap, you’ll benefit a lot more.
3. You’re giving up a little time to make a lot more time super-productive
When people are rested, they are more productive. Both research and common sense show that the energy provided by a little more sleep is worth more than the time those individuals spend sleeping.
4. You don’t have to lengthen deadlines
Even if your employees are taking regular naps, you should feel no obligation to extend assignment due dates. The whole idea behind the naps is that you’re increasing productivity overall. Thanks to the benefits of being more rested, there is every reason to believe that they’ll get their work done faster even with less time.
5. You’ll be able to quickly identify the lazy employees
The lazy employees are generally taking naps regardless of the rules. Chances are they’ll feel free to take them even more often with regular nap sessions in place. That means you’re more likely to catch them sleeping on the job when they’re not supposed to, which enables you to fire them and find someone more committed to the position.
6. A nap will make employees happier
Happiness is a major motivator. Not only does productivity sink when individuals are depressed, being happier than average means that they will generally produce work that is above average. A more well-rested person is a happier one, and you’ll be greatly benefitting from their good moods.
7. Many of the most successful companies do it
Google, a trendsetter when it comes to good company habits, provides its very own nap pods for its employees. They’re called EnergyPods, and were most often used by NASA. They surround the occupant in a private space, prohibit any interruptions, and reclines to the perfect resting position so blood will best flow through your body. You don’t need to go to these extreme lengths, of course, but it’s interesting to know how much a company like Google is committed to the concept of regular naps in the workplace.
8. You get to take a nap, too!
As an employer, you’re probably working very hard yourself. Well, if everyone else gets an hour to rest, you do, too! That’s yet another reason a nap a day is good for business. Featured photo credit: Hard work can hurt/normalityrelief via flickr.com
