Let’s face it, the working week can be a little tiring, as well as perhaps even being a bit tiresome for some , but it is for most of us an essential part of our lives. With an ever demanding work culture, it seems like the iconic 9-5 working day has unwittingly expanded to arriving at the office 7.00 in the morning in order to get some work done before anyone else, check your messages etc. and then vacating your office space at 8.00 in the evening, and that is without taking into account the work we do from home. As technology advances at a rapid rate, a large number of us access their work e-mails, intranet and even confidential computer systems from our home environments and never pause to think about just how many actual hours we dedicate to work on a weekly basis.

But as much as there is almost an unspoken assumption from our employers that we will go ‘above and beyond’ in the name of work, employers are also increasingly aware that in order to get the best out of the workforce, treating them with respect and looking after their health and emotional needs is the answer to greater productivity.

One such emerging strategy is to allow employees to have a ‘mini-sleep’ during the day. Proven to have benefits such as increased concentration, improving problem solving abilities, enabling more intuitive thinking and, of course, ensuring the body is kept at its physical peak, there may just be method in what initially may seem like work madness.

Not everyone can work at Send Business Centre with unlimited parking, big windows looking out over fields and canals and perfect temperature control!  Many lesser office environments in particular are known to be conducive to negatives such as erratic heat control, noise distractions, lack of natural light as well as office spaces feeling confined and impersonal. These factors can lead to a dissatisfied employee base and this has a negative impact on work output. Whilst creating ‘nap’ areas in offices may seem like a fad that will never take off, it is already present in some office spaces. Leading employers such as Google and Facebook have been keen to cement their forward thinking business credentials by introducing timed ‘naps’ into their working day whilst companies such as Nestle have even introduced sleep ‘pods’ to their office environments. By dedicating specific office space to taking a rest, the thinking is that employees will avoid the temptation to ‘slope-off’ for 40 winks, and instead incorporate it into their daily schedule. As well as enabling an employee to refresh their capabilities, workers are likely to return to their office desk with a keen mind and perhaps more importantly, will want to reward their thoughtful employer with increased output and even by staying that bit later after the official working day is over. With a renewed vigour and sharp mind, it seems that the considerate employer is on track to get back far more than they are giving.