Mental health is now a mainstream topic that no business can ignore. As companies increasingly prioritize the well-being of their employees, many are offering new office perks to help team members take healthy breaks throughout their workdays. Workplace benefits now range from in-house yoga and massage centers to doctor’s clinics and gyms. However, one of the most explosive new trends is the development of nap rooms within the office.
Fortune 500 companies are paving the path for more companies and their employees to reap the benefits of naps. Google has sleep pods for staff, while Nike has sleep and meditation rooms in their offices. While it isn’t a Fortune 500 company, Zappos — a company that literally wrote the book on employee culture — also has a nap room with various relaxation options.
So what are the benefits of letting employees sleep on the job (or at least between tasks)? There are great reasons why some of the world’s most well-known companies are hopping on the trend. Here are four reasons why more businesses should incorporate napping in the workplace.
Support Mental Health
The COVID-19 pandemic is a major reason why mental health has become such a hot topic in recent years. Due to increased stress levels, disrupted schedules, reduced natural light exposure, and many other factors, there’s been a massive increase in clinical insomnia — and it’s often accompanied by other mental health issues, like depression and anxiety.
Making it easier for employees to get quality rest time is crucial for keeping them focused and engaged in their careers. After all, if we can’t depend on exhausted people to drive safely, it’s only natural we’d expect employees to make more mistakes or doze off while doing work.
If your team members aren’t getting a good night’s rest at home — or if a high-stress workday is draining their energy — having a nap room in the office can help them catch up on sleep and wake up with a refreshed mind. In fact, a quick 20-minute power nap can improve cognitive performance.
Boost Productivity
Most employees experience an afternoon slump, but with a quick nap, your team members can significantly enhance their performance, alertness, and reaction time. A brief period of rest may be key to helping your employees work faster and with fewer mistakes.
This is a great way to eliminate some of the bottlenecks you may be facing in your workplace. For instance, if you have a quality assurance team that’s always finding errors, napping may help reduce those issues, so your workflow becomes more streamlined.
Naturally, this can have a direct impact on your net profits. Anytime you can get better results without increasing your expenses is a win for your company.
Reduce Stress
No matter what industry you’re in, you’ve probably experienced stress at work. However, work is rarely the only stressor in our lives. Due to growing disparities in our country, employees in certain ethnic and socioeconomic groups may face greater health risks and financial burdens than others.
Nap rooms and quiet rooms help create a more equitable workplace by giving everyone the resources they need to contribute their best effort. Rather than firing employees for poor performance due to factors that are out of their control, you can invest in their well-being to see what they’re truly capable of.
As long as your business is also working to eliminate other stressors (like unrealistic workloads or unempathetic management), you can make your office an incredible place to work.
Decrease Turnover
The majority of professionals have experienced burnout in their current roles, which is making many employees more vulnerable to other physical and mental illnesses. Burnout can also lead employees to seek new roles with new companies, especially in the midst of the Great Resignation. This turnover can be incredibly costly for your business.
While burnout is a difficult issue to turn around, nap rooms can help you alleviate some of the symptoms of burnout, which include insomnia and fatigue. By giving employees time to rest and recuperate, you can prevent burnout from getting worse — or prevent burnout altogether in employees who are currently satisfied in their roles.
Considering the fact that it costs a 6-9 months’ salary for the average business to replace an employee, offering office perks that reduce turnover can be highly beneficial for your business.
Benefit From the Power of Naps
Naps are powerful tools for our mental wellness. When employees are able to get an adequate amount of rest, they can feel less stressed. Naps can also create more focused, alert, and engaged employees who contribute more to the workplace, which allows your business to grow at a faster pace. If your company is struggling with turnover, especially during the Great Resignation, napping can help you prevent and alleviate burnout for a healthier, happier workplace.
