In 2020, the HR department of a company is no longer limited to managing human resources. The managerial expectations for younger generations are rapidly evolving. HR practices must be proactive and respond to these new expectations. By emphasizing the quality of life at work, the company is part of an innovative managerial practice and a major asset for the employer brand of missions. Quality of life at work (QVT) is a very broad theme that brings together many ideas. In this article, we propose to address one in particular : lthe consideration of sleep in a professional environment, through the micro-nap.
Going from napping to napping to work
The word “siesta” derives its etymology from the Latin “sexta”, meaning the sixth hour after awakening. It simply means that six hours after you wake up, your body will start to tire, and that’s what we call “sudden tiredness”. Don’t panic, this biological phenomenon is completely normal !
In other words, if you start your work day at 9am, it may be that around 3pm, you might start to feel a slight fatigue as well as digestion which just adds more fatigue. If that happens to you, the Nap&Up team advises you to give yourself a few minutes of relaxation by taking a micro-nap.
A micro nap is a light sleep between 5 and 20 minutes maximum. This duration corresponds to the sleep phase that precedes deep sleep, so do not exceed 20 minutes! During this phase, the body relaxes but remains sensitive to external stimuli. It stimulates normal sleep and thus maximizes its benefits.
The micro-nap is a part of the quality of life approach at work
“Well-being at work”, QVT, is a topic of conversation that I’m sure you’re familiar with. It has emerged in recent years thanks to new managerial practices and is becoming more and more widespread. Companies are focusing more on the well-being of employees, and sleep is one of them, including the installation of rooms dedicated to employees’ rest. Well-being at work creates pleasant environments and allows employees to rest without feeling guilty.
While in Japan inemuri is totally normal, napping at work can still be taboo in France. It is a shame when we know that the micro-nap break can actually allow us to boost our efficiency at work. With 20% of workers experiencing sleep deprivation¹, for many, micro-napping can be a real remedy for improving work performance. If you are not already working for an employer who encourages you to take a few minutes to log out, know that there are many companies who are committed to the well-being of their employees out there.
“We care about the quality of life of our employees, and providing them with a dedicated napping space. Giving theme time to nap is just another way for us to take care of our people,” says a representative of Ben & Jerry’s in Burlington in Vermont. The company, which offers yoga classes as well as personal coaches to employees while encouraging them to bring their pets to work, also provides a room with a bed and pillows that employees can use if they wish. “If people need a nap to do the best job they can, we encourage them to do so,” says the representative.
Indeed, quality of life at work is an approach that aims to combine employee performance and their well-being. And so, seeking to improve the way employees work is a sign of kindness and encouragement.
#InSiesteWeTrust
¹National Institute of Sleep and Vigilance – 2014