80% of Gen Z workers say they’ve taken a nap on the job

Published Sun, Dec 12 2021
Ashton Jackson@ASHTONLINNELL

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As Americans continue to work from home due to the ongoing pandemic, employees have more freedom to do other things, like take naps. Though sleeping at work may seem irresponsible to some, a recent report shows that employees who consider themselves “nappers” were 18% more likely than non-nappers to say they had gotten a promotion in the past year.

Plushbeds, a luxury manufacturer for bedding, mattresses, and pillows, surveyed 1,000 Americans to investigate the napping habits of U.S. workers. The results showed a positive impact not just in people’s everyday lives, but in the workplace as well.

The study, published in October of this year, found that napping at work was more common than not, with more than 2 in 3 respondents saying they have napped at work before. Gen Z’ers were most likely to admit taking workplace naps at 80%, compared to 70% of Millenials. People who consider themselves nappers took a quick snooze to help with things like productivity and creativity at work

“For increasing productivity at work, people figured the ideal naptime was 20 to 30 minutes,” the study said. “To feel more creative, respondents felt that 10 to 20 was plenty.”

To maximize naps even more, combining coffee with a 20-minute snooze also made people more alert at work. Dubbed the “nappuccino” by management and behavioral expert Daniel Pink, this technique helps lessen the amount of adenosine, the chemical responsible for tiredness, in the body. “It’s magic! When you wake up, you’re immediately hit with that extra boost of caffeine,” he told CNBC Make It. “But it can also be a restorative ritual that you can look forward to after working for a few hours.”

According to the study, nappers were more likely to be in a managerial role and to have received a promotion in the last year than non-nappers. Fifty-five percent of nappers worked in a managerial role, compared to 41% of non-nappers. Fifty-three percent of nappers had also received promotions in the last year, compared to 35% of non-nappers.

Though nappers seem to have a better quality of life, non-nappers were likely to make more money. “People who didn’t hit the hay during the day were twice as likely to find themselves making $100,000 or more on an annual basis,” according to the report. Non-nappers also cited other issues with sleeping on the job, like grogginess, inability to sleep at night, and simply not having the time to take one.

The authors cited another article published by Sleep.org in March, which reported that 70% of Americans say they’re regularly sleep-deprived, possibly explaining the need for an afternoon nap to get through the day. Due to this, many workers think that napping at work should be destigmatized.

“Rather than being scolded, many respondents think that napping should be integrated into the workplace,” the study said. ” Some suggested the introduction of a napping room, nap pods, a stipend for sleep aids, and even paid nap breaks. Others would simply appreciate if naps were encouraged or even just allowed when they’re on the clock.”

There were several sleep perks employees wanted to see, with 42% wanting designated nap rooms. 36% of respondents simply wanted permission to nap if needed, and 32% wanted a healthy nap culture in their offices.