Employers must deal with a variety of issues that affect employee performance, such as absenteeism, health problems and declining productivity. While many employers fail to realize that these problems are linked to poor sleep, those who make employee sleep health a priority find they’re able to affect real, meaningful change in workplace performance, productivity and safety, as well as in the health of their employees, all of which will be the focus of an upcoming webinar.

RESTFUL SLEEP IS NOT A LUXURY
Restful sleep is absolutely vital to one’s performance and overall health. In fact, recent neuroscience studies have shown that restful sleep is the single most important factor in maintaining a healthy brain and body as we get older.

Poor sleep health threatens our brain, heart and immune system. Yet, 50% of employees are living with some type of sleep disorder that is causing fatigue. And while employers are aware of the situation — 90% report being negatively affected by employee fatigue — not much is being done to combat the issue.

As the issue of sleep health is ignored, fatigued employees are causing a whole host of problems for employers:

• 47% of employers to report decreased productivity
• 50% of employers to report an employee falling asleep on the job
• 57% of employers to report absenteeism
• 32% of employers to report injuries and near misses

HEALTH ISSUES AND THEIR COST
Sleep disorders and poor sleep habits can lead to serious chronic illness and diseases, further affecting employee productivity, especially in those who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

There’s a defined link between poor sleep health and obesity (when the rates of one rise, so do the rates of the other). Poor sleep health can also cause or worsen high blood pressure, as many sleep disorders lower the oxygen levels in blood, forcing it to work harder.

Sleep disorders such as OSA have also been shown to significantly increase the risk of coronary heart disease and congestive heart failure. Other chronic illnesses that can be caused or exacerbated by poor sleep health include stroke, diabetes, depression, dementia, kidney disease and more.

While the health risks to employees with poor sleep health are sizeable, employers often find themselves bearing the burden of excessive health costs. The CDC has found that a single employee with an undiagnosed sleep disorder can cost his or her employer an additional $3,200–$4,000 per year.

With the huge number of employees that fit into this category, those costs can become astronomical very quickly.

DWINDING PROFITS
Poor sleep has been identified as a major hurdle to business profitability. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that a third of US workers receive less than six hours of sleep every night, which costs businesses more than $63 billion each year in lost productivity alone.

That means if a company has a workforce of 1,000 employees, that company can expect a loss of $1 million every year from fatigue.

DANGEROUS WORKPLACES
There’s also safety to consider. Employees who suffer from fatigue are more prone to falling asleep on the job, and they often have difficulty concentrating and slow reaction times. In fact, a sleep-deprived brain operates up to five times slower than a well-rested brain, which can lead to dangerous or deadly situations at work. The risk of accidents greatly increases with employee fatigue — 13% of workplace accidents can be attributed to employee fatigue. These sleep-deprived employees are also a danger to the people with whom they share the road, as their poor focus and responsiveness keeps them from properly and safely reacting to driving conditions as they come.

IS THERE A SOLUTION?
Yes. When a company offers programs that teach and empower employees to better their sleep, those employees can better their alertness, focus and overall health. Once an employee prioritizes his or he sleep, they can start sleeping better, feeling better, looking better and living better.

Employers, HR Managers, Benefits Directors and anyone interested in bettering the lives of their employees and coworkers are encouraged to drop in on an upcoming webinar titled: “Improving Performance: Is as Easy as a Good Night’s Sleep.” During this webinar, you’ll learn all about:

• The sleep health paradigm
• The science of sleep
• The dark side of sleep: obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
• The health and wellness benefits of sleep on performance and profitability
• How addressing sleep health spans the wellness continuum

The hourlong webinar will be on Tuesday, June 4, 2019, starting at 12:00 pm EST (9:00 am PST). Come find out exactly how adding sleep health to your employee wellness program will increase employee health, improve productivity and better your bottom line.

Simply click here to register.