Losing Sleep Over Work?

Sleep deprivation caused by work anxiety is taking a heavy toll on employees, according to new research from Accountemps.
More than four in 10 professionals (44%) often lose sleep over work, resulting from—among other things—an overwhelming workload, a looming business problem, and strained coworker relationships.
Workers were asked, “How often do you lose sleep over work?” Their responses:

• Very often—15%
• Somewhat often—29%
• Not very often—43%
• Never—13%

Among those who lose sleep over work, the following were cited as the root causes (multiple responses allowed):

• Overwhelmed with work volume/hours—50%
• Can’t get a business problem out of my head—48%
• Strained coworker relationships—20%
• Worried I may lose my job—18%
• My boss is a nightmare—16%

Additional Findings

• Professionals in Miami, Nashville, and New York most often lose sleep over work-related issues.
• Cleveland, Philadelphia, and Minneapolis have the highest percentage of respondents who cited they never miss out on rest.
• Professionals ages 18 to 34 more often lose sleep over work (57%) compared to those ages 35 to 54 (45%) and 55 and older (29%).
• Male respondents say they lie awake often (50%), while women are slightly less likely to (40%).

“Employee stress can lead to lower job satisfaction and engagement and higher turnover,” says Michael Steinitz, executive director of Accountemps.
“Managers can support their teams by maintaining open lines of communication and planning regular check-ins to discuss workload and other worries.”

About the survey: The survey of workers was developed by Accountemps and conducted by an independent research firm. It includes responses from more than 2,800 workers across 28 major U.S. cities.