We spend a lot of time talking about productivity hacks, but the most effective one might be the simplest: sleep. The data on what sleep deprivation costs the economy is staggering — and as an office manager, you're in a unique position to actually do something about it.
The Billion-Dollar Cost of Bad Sleep
Nap time to the rescue! Did you know that sleep deprivation causes us all to lose money? Rand Corporation found out that due to lack of sleep, economies are losing up to 3% of GDP. This means 411 billion dollars, only in the United States.
In short: Less sleep = less money in our bank accounts.
It's a simple equation. You just have to add a little nap to your everyday life, and we all have more cash. You, me, your mum, your management, everyone.
What does it mean for me as an office manager? I try to:
💤 Share resources about how to improve sleep quality through our internal company channels.
💤 Send tips on apps that can help people with their sleep patterns.
💤 Avoid sending after-hours emails and messages.
What the RAND Study Actually Found
The RAND Europe study, published in 2016 and still widely cited, examined five OECD countries and found that sleep deprivation leads to both higher mortality risk and lower workplace productivity. The U.S. loses an estimated 1.2 million working days per year due to insufficient sleep. Workers who sleep fewer than six hours a night have a 13% higher mortality risk than those getting seven to nine hours.
The encouraging finding: even small improvements matter. If workers sleeping under six hours increased to six or seven hours, RAND estimated the U.S. could add $226.4 billion back to the economy.
What Office Managers Can Do
Lisa's three tips above are a great starting point. Here are a few more ways to promote better sleep culture in your workplace:
Respect working hours. This is the single most impactful thing you can do. If you schedule emails at 10 PM, you're signaling that late-night availability is expected — even if you don't mean to. Use scheduled send instead.
Normalize the conversation. Share articles or resources about sleep health in your internal channels. It doesn't need to be a big campaign — a simple link in Slack can start the conversation.
Consider nap-friendly policies. Some companies now offer quiet rooms or dedicated rest spaces. If that's not realistic, even encouraging a proper lunch break away from screens helps.
Lead by example. If you're visibly online at all hours, your team will follow. Show that rest is part of the productivity equation, not the enemy of it.
Sleep deprivation in the workplace isn't a personal failing — it's a systemic issue. And office managers are uniquely positioned to nudge the culture in a healthier direction.
