Take rest, to work better

It’s not just the salary, perks, team cohesiveness and career growth that boost workplace productivity. New research specifies the crucial role that ‘resting’ plays in improving employee efficiency.

Whether you work from home or from an office, adequate rest is required for keeping your workforce happy and satisfied, says research by Manel Baucells, associate professor, Darden School of Business, University of Virginia and Lin Zhao of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing.

“Resting is not only important, but also efficient. With appropriate rest times, the total productivity can actually increase while working less hours. This is because fatigue reduces productivity. By resting, fatigue decreases and we become productive. Thus, resting is a win-win for both the employee and the employer,” says Baucells.

Experts say fatigue is connected to frequent cognitive errors, increased anger and frustration; all of which results in poor employee-manager and employee-employee relations.

So what does ‘being overworked’ actually imply? Besides logging too many hours at work, ‘overworked’ refers to the way we work that causes exhaustion, say experts. ‘Overworked’ is that feeling of being overwhelmed due to intense workplace pressure, constant efforts at multitasking, a competitive office environment and receiving incessant criticism from managers. This results in employees experiencing low confidence while applying for a workday break, or even requesting managers for a small period of rest.

And this, says Baucells, is a big mistake. “Anything that requires low mental or physical engagement acts as rest. The optimal schedule would begin and end with relatively long working periods, but then in the middle of the day, it is ok to take a few breaks in order to keep fatigue at moderate levels. Our research shows that more frequent and shorter breaks – always in the middle of the day, not during the initial and final working periods, are more effective.”

Employees need strategic measures to refresh and feel rejuvenated. Short daytime workouts, post-lunch naps, leisurely walks and vacations help reduce the fatigue factor.

Says B Venkataramana, Group president – Human Resources, Landmark Group, “Organisations nowadays have nap rooms, lounge areas, recreational spaces to encourage employees to take their eyes off their laptops and rest. At Lifestyle International, we organise regular health and wellness programmes to show employees simple ways to exercise and de-stress at the workplace.”

According to Thammaiah BN, managing director, Kelly Services India, employees could be given 15 minutes of break every four hours to keep them energetic. “Teaching meditation is a great way to help them rest in-between work. Employers should also encourage employees to pursue their hobbies at work for specific durations.”

HR experts state that beyond creating resting facilities and offering employee engagement programmes, corporates must drive the right organisational culture. “It is only when managers are sensitised and there is a general awareness that resting does not amount to slacking, will such initiatives be successful,” says Venkataramana.

...& ANALYSIS

• Short daytime workouts, post-lunch naps and leisurely walks help reduce fatigue
   
• Beyond this, corporates must drive the right organisational culture for same