The first rule of Nap Club is: You do not talk about Nap Club. The second rule of Nap Club is: You do not talk about Nap Club.

Across the world a secret society of nappers exist in our workplaces, and no one is talking about it. Everyone knows someone who sneaks off at lunchtime for a sleep in their car, or who takes 40 winks while the boss isn’t looking. Maybe you are that person? Yet, this is still one of those workplace taboos we are taught to look down on.

A study conducted by Mattress company Amerisleep to gauge sleeping habits while at work, found 51.8% of respondents admitted to napping on the job. Yet despite the fact so many employees admit to taking naps, corporate napping policy is virtually non-existent in most sectors. 

The ability to close your eyes at work and power up is a dream for many, but due to a lack of acceptance nap-time still comes with an unwelcome stigma, meaning that most are forced to nap in secret. Nearly 80% of respondents felt it was unacceptable to snooze on the clock, a number totally disproportionate to the number who admitted to taking a nap.

For many, the fear of being caught napping creates a feeling of guilt and fear when sneaking some shut eye. The problem is these fears of ramifications are not unfounded. 21% of respondents were caught napping, with 46.3% receiving written or verbal warnings. Not only does this not encourage napping, but it actively discourages it. It is these employers who clamp down on napping who are missing out on the benefits. 

It’s time we started napping at work without apology. Napping should be seen as a working right, not a luxury, or worse, a sign of laziness. 

While many are yet to wake up to the power of napping, tired eyes are starting to open. 16% of American companies are now incorporating napping facilities into the workplace. These include many of the most forward thinking companies in the world. Google, Huffington Post, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, and NASA, all provide dedicated napping facilities for their employees. We can all take a lesson from these companies and start to take napping as seriously as we take other elements of employee well-being.  

If flex hours, remote working, and agile work policies can all take great strides forward, there is no reason why the napping revolution won’t be next. Afterall, anyone who has ever napped knows the power they have to change the world. 

Share This

Share this

Share this post with your friends!