Tired workers just can’t resist getting some shut-eye in the office.
More than half of U.S. workers say they don’t get enough sleep — and 43 percent have found coworkers sleeping on the job, according to a new poll from HR site CareerBuilder.
America isn’t the only country with tired workers: Research has shown that extended hours and shifts that alter the day-night/work-sleep pattern can cause workplace inefficiency among European workers; sleepiness also reportedly causes 20 percent of all European car crashes. However, excessive sleepiness is said to be more common in the U.S. than in Europe.
In America, three in five tired workers say a lack of sleep has impacted their work. Twenty-seven percent feel it decreases their motivation, and nearly as many — 24 percent — say it reduces their productivity.
CareerBuilder’s survey also found that one in five (21 percent) of tired workers have called in sick to get some extra sleep.
Although shift work and voluntary long hours at the office may be contributing to employees’ overall sleepy state, in some instances, feeling like they need to be available 24-7 via phone or email can also cause exhaustion.
Find out the somewhat unexpected ways contacting employees outside of the office can negatively impact their performance — and how to fix the problem — in our recent blog post on respecting employees’ time off.