Ask HR: In this fast-paced world, how much rest is enough?
What you need to know:
- Achieving workplace wellness necessitates a shift in the collective mindset surrounding success.
- Acknowledging the significance of rest as a catalyst for higher productivity challenges the conventional notion that relentless toil is the path to achievement.
- Encouraging employees to prioritise rest reframes success as a multifaceted concept that encompasses both professional accomplishments and personal health.
Wellness has become a big topic at the workplace. In a recent conference I attended, lack of sufficient rest was highlighted as a key factor that negatively impacts wellness. Just how much rest is enough?
Historically, the corporate world has embraced an ethos that has often glorified long hours and minimal rest as a testament to dedication and productivity. This perspective has however been increasingly challenged by scientific research. Studies have shown the deleterious effects of chronic sleep deprivation on cognitive function, decision-making, and overall physical health. Counterintuitively, overworking can lead to diminished productivity, poor judgement, and burnout. Adequate rest is known to support mental clarity, creativity, and problem-solving abilities.
Achieving workplace wellness necessitates a shift in the collective mindset surrounding success. Acknowledging the significance of rest as a catalyst for higher productivity challenges the conventional notion that relentless toil is the path to achievement. Encouraging employees to prioritise rest reframes success as a multifaceted concept that encompasses both professional accomplishments and personal health. It is a shift from viewing rest as a sign of weakness or lack of commitment to recognising it as an essential pillar of success.
The notion of ‘enough rest’, however, warrants a nuanced exploration because the substance thereof is not merely a quantitative measure. Rest encompasses not only physical repose but also mental, emotional, and some would add, spiritual rejuvenation. Consequently, attempting to prescribe a standard quantum of rest becomes an impractical pursuit, as workplace contexts and individual needs vary greatly. Organisations should therefore recognise that an effective rest regimen entails tailoring approaches that are sensitive to the diverse requirements of their workforce.
Flexible work arrangements, effective line managers, and supportive mental health programmes may help enhance employee wellness. More importantly however, since the experience of rest is personal in nature, organisations need to nurture work environments where employees feel empowered to proactively manage their own well-being. Are employees educated about wellness and how to incorporate rest effectively into their lives? Is the count of leave days the only metric of assessing rest in your organisation? Do employee’s voices count in decisions concerning when and how long they rest? Proper rest is as much a personal boon as it is a business imperative.
