Sleep quality is one of the aspects that most impacts the overall well-being of the workforce. According to Gympass’ Corporate Wellbeing Outlook 2024, 98% of professionals say that a good night’s sleep is important for overall well-being. However, 60% of employees say they are unable to get quality sleep due to stress at work.
The situation is critical for a considerable portion of the workforce: one in ten survey participants (9%) say they lose sleep every night, 24% several times a week and 27% several times a month. Another 23% said they lose sleep at least a few times a year and only 17% of workers interviewed in the study said they never lose sleep due to stress at work.
Participants who lose sleep because of work say they experience a worsening of emotional well-being, motivation and productivity. Sleep deprivation, even for short periods, impairs reasoning, causes emotional exhaustion and can delay important physical reactions to prevent workplace accidents, especially in high-risk environments. When it becomes a chronic problem, it can cause cognitive decline – even leading to dementia – and increase the risk of developing heart disease and obesity.
“If companies do not support employees in taking care of their sleep, the problem can become a vicious cycle: loss of sleep reduces productivity, causing more stress, which further impairs sleep quality and work performance” , explains Renato Basso, vice president of People at Gympass.
The good news is that employees are eager to improve in this regard, with nine in ten study participants saying they take steps to improve their sleep quality.
In addition to stress at work, financial concerns have also impacted employees’ sleep quality. Half of the people interviewed in the study reported that they lose sleep at least a few times a month due to economic concerns. This can also cause the company to spend more on healthcare. In other words, companies that do not have competitive compensation packages within their respective markets may end up paying more for their health plan.
“The sleep health situation of the workforce shines a warning light for organizations. When work demands prevent people from taking care of their physical health (sleep, nutrition and physical activity), ultimately, they also prevent employees from delivering the expected results”, says Basso.
Comparing the responses of each group, it was found that the level of general well-being of Gympass users is higher than that of people who do not use the program. In physical and emotional well-being — the two dimensions that, according to employees, most affect productivity at work — the impact is even greater. 68% of Gympass users say their level of well-being is good or great, compared to 55% of non-users. The number of Gympass users who say that the quality of their sleep and diet is good or excellent is also greater than that of non-users.
Gympass offers free premium access to apps that help employees take care of their sleep health, such as Sleep Cycle, Headspace, Cíngulo, Calm, Meditopia and ZenApp.
The Corporate Wellbeing Panorama was carried out with more than 5,000 professionals in nine global markets: United States, United Kingdom, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Spain, Italy, Germany and Mexico.
About Gympass
Gympass is the world’s most loved corporate wellness platform, offering the best network of gyms, studios, classes, personal trainers and wellness apps in a single benefit. More than 15,000 companies use Gympass to help their employees move, eat, sleep and feel better, offering access to a network of fitness and wellness partners, with plans that cost employees up to 50% less than traditional subscriptions. With Gympass, HR leaders can more than double the number of employees engaged in wellness programs. This broad participation results in a workforce with a 40% lower probability of turnover and brings savings of up to 35% in healthcare costs for companies. Investing in employee well-being is investing in business performance.
Tags: Occupational stress affects sleep professionals study shows
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