A workplace culture that supports sleep

Commitment to sleep starts at the top

Top management sets the tone of workplace culture, so it is essential that leaders prioritise sleep. Here are some ways leaders can foster a positive sleep culture at your workplace:

• model expected behaviours
• talk openly about how they as a leader prioritise sleep
• design good work and set reasonable performance expectations
• recognise the value of family time
• move away from a culture that rewards workers for being available to work during typical sleep hours
• implement workplace health promotion programs focused on good sleep and fatigue management. 

Everyone plays a role in creating a workplace that supports sleep—top management, managers and workers. Think of risks to sleep the same way you would any other workplace hazard. 

What can organisations do?

Here are some steps your organisation can take to foster a positive sleep culture:

Step 1 – Understand the issue

Identify and mitigate workplace demands and environmental conditions that might affect people’s sleep. For example, consider factors such as:

• rostering, work hours, workloads, after-hours communication and work across multiple time zones
• relationships in the workplace including tensions or issues
• accommodation and facilities for workers who are working away from home, if relevant
• workloads, work demands and deadlines
• workplace justice and rewards culture.

Step 2 – Respond to issues

Put appropriate control measures in place to address hazards and risks related to poor sleep that you cannot remove. For example:

• redesign work to allow for rest breaks or naps, and if appropriate, provide sleeping environments (e.g. dark room, slightly cool, reduced noise)
• modify workplace environmental characteristics such as:
  • lighting – adjusting brightness and wavelength can maximise alertness and minimise adverse effects on later sleep quality
  • temperature – in summer 21–24^oC is the recommended temperature for offices and factories; the preferred winter temperature is usually about 2^oC lower than in summer
• foster positive relationships within the workplace (e.g. address any conflicts or tensions, have workplace bullying and discrimination policies and procedures, ensure supervisors and managers have appropriate management skills)
• support workers who are getting treatment for sleep disorders by providing alternative duties if needed or using other measures of support (as described in the Staying and returning to work module). 

Step 3 – Measure and monitor

Review measures to ensure they are working as intended. For example, get feedback from workers, and track metrics such as the number of workplace incidents, workers compensation claims and levels of absenteeism. Look at using fatigue risk management metrics. 

Step 4 – Promote awareness of healthy sleep

Encourage education and awareness about sleep and factors that affect sleep:

• include messages about sleep in regular communications (e.g. staff newsletters, posters)
• offer programs to recognise the signs and symptoms of fatigue
• offer sleep hygiene education programs, and programs to promote increased daytime physical activity levels and healthy eating
• encourage and support workers who may be seeking treatment for sleep disorders.

What can workers do?

Workers can also consider their own behaviours that can affect sleep. For example:

• People who have trouble switching off at the end of the day may need to find strategies to detach from work.
• People also need to manage any family or personal matters that can affect their sleep.