Two-Thirds Of American Workers Would Be Better Employees If They Got More Sleep, According To Glassdoor Survey

MILL VALLEY, Calif., Oct. 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- With daylight saving time officially coming to an end on Sunday, November 5, it may be time for working Americans to take advantage of that extra hour of sleep. According to a new survey from Glassdoor, one of the world's largest and fastest growing job sites, three in four (74 percent) full and part time employees say they get less than eight hours of sleep on a typical work night, averaging just 6.9 hours of sleep. However, that is below the recommended amount of sleep, according to the National Sleep Foundation and National Institute for Health, which agree that most healthy adults (ages 18-64) need between seven to nine hours of sleep per night to function at their best. The Glassdoor survey also reveals other sleep behaviors and insights related to employees, work and performance during the workweek.

The Glassdoor survey, conducted online by Harris Poll among 1,077 U.S. adults employed full and part time, found that 66 percent say they would be better employees if they got more sleep, especially those ages 18-44 (73 percent) compared to those ages 45-64 (59 percent). On average, 18-34 year old employees sleep more (7.4 hours) than those ages 45-64 (6.5 hours) on a typical work night. By gender, male employees report 7.1 hours of sleep on a typical work night, while female employees report 6.8 hours of sleep. Female employees age 45-54 report sleeping only 6.4 hours on a typical work night and nearly one in five (18 percent) of them report just five hours or less of sleep each night. Meanwhile, when it comes to male employees ages 18-34, they report 7.5 hours of sleep on a typical work night. In addition, employees who are married get more sleep (7.1 hours) than employees who are not married (6.7 hours) on the average work night.

"For many employees, a regular work day has become somewhat irregular. With technology allowing employees to work remotely and flexible work schedules on the rise, employees are empowered to step in and out of work to accommodate their personal and family lives. But with this advancement, the lines of when work starts and ends can blur, potentially impacting the rest employees receive during the week to be at their best," said Carmel Galvin, Glassdoor chief human resources officer. "Sleep not only provides physical restoration to the body, but it is critical for cognitive function, concentration and productivity. Employers can help employees get enough rest by reminding them to take time off when they need it, and before bed, to avoid screen time. However, employees should also take responsibility for their wellness and recognize most employers want people to take the rest they need to be at their best."

While the Glassdoor survey shows that working Americans are sleeping less than the recommended seven to nine hours, survey findings also suggest that it's not necessarily tied to demanding employers. In fact, roughly three in four (74 percent) say their manager does encourage them to take time off when they need to take care of their health and wellness. Plus, 87 percent of employees expect their employer to support them in balancing their life between work and personal commitments. However, there may still be a disconnect when it comes to employees taking rest and/or caring for one's health, as three in five (61 percent) employees acknowledge they would rather work when they feel sick than use their paid time off or sick time. Younger employees ages 18-44 (70 percent) are more likely to feel this way than those ages 45-64 (52 percent).

A previous Glassdoor survey also found that working Americans today are having a tougher  time taking rest compared to a few years ago. In fact, two in three (66 percent) employees who take vacation/time off report working while on vacation, an increase since 2014 (61 percent). The leading reasons among employees who work while on vacation include fear of getting behind (34 percent), no one else at their company can do the work while they're out (30 percent), they are completely dedicated to their company (22 percent), and they feel they can never be disconnected (21 percent).

For Employers
To help employers communicate their commitment to well-being in their workplace to current employees and prospective talent, Glassdoor has partnered with Arianna Huffington's Thrive Global which encourages employers to sign the Pledge to Thrive.

Interviews
To speak with a Glassdoor spokesperson related to survey findings, including how employees can find ways to rest enough during the workweek, and how employers can promote wellness, please contact: [email protected].

Methodology
Survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Poll on behalf of Glassdoor from March 30 - April 3, 2017 among 1,077 U.S. workers employed full and/or part time ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact [email protected].

About Glassdoor
Glassdoor is one of the largest and fastest growing job sites in the world today. Set apart by the tens of millions of reviews and insights provided by employees and candidates, Glassdoor combines all the jobs with this valuable data to make it easy for people to find a job that is uniquely right for them. As a result, Glassdoor helps employers hire truly informed candidates at scale through effective recruiting solutions like job advertising and employer branding products. Launched in 2008, Glassdoor now has reviews and insights for more than 700,000 companies in more than 190 countries. For labor market trends and analysis, visit Glassdoor Economic Research. For company news and career advice and tips, visit the Glassdoor Blog and for employer-related news and insights to help employers hire, visit the Glassdoor for Employers Blog. Visit Glassdoor.com or download our apps on iOS and Android platforms.

"Glassdoor" and logo are proprietary trademarks of Glassdoor, Inc.

SOURCE Glassdoor

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