The work world is in the midst of a revolution as earth-shaking as the Industrial Revolution. The new revolution is the conversion of the world -- and the work world -- into a nonstop 24-hour society.
One result in the workplace is employee sleeplessness and fatigue, leading to lower productivity, poorer quality and poorer service, and to workplace accidents. The demand for around-the-clock services, the continuous operation of industry and the expanding global economy keeps employees working at all hours. Yet, common sense says people are less efficient and more error-prone when their natural sleep and waking cycles are shortened or disrupted.
The pervasiveness and seriousness of human fatigue on the job is the subject of the book The Twenty-Four-Hour Society, Understanding Human Limits in a World that Never Stops, by Martin Moore-Ede, M.D., Ph.D. Remember Three Mile Island, the Exxon Valdez, Chernobyl, the USS Vincennes, Bhopal and the space shuttle Challenger disaster? Moore-Ede noted how these spectacular and costly accidents were at least partly caused by fatigued employees, working late at night or in the wee hours.
These and other accidents like them are "the predictable outcome of failing to allow for human limitations in the nonstop world we have designed," said Moore-Ede. There are often disastrous consequences for the employers involved. Exxon's clean up bill from the Alaskan oil spill ran in the billions, for example.
Employers overall are not aware of their risks due to employee fatigue. The problem worsens as employers expect fewer people to do more work. Experts advise employers to engage in some painful introspection to see if they subtly or explicitly encourage employees to burn candles at both ends.
Employers have a duty to monitor the fatigue levels of their employees. As they become more aware of the impact of sleepiness on performance, courts and attorneys are increasingly assigning liability to the employer. Some examples:
Dozing control room operators were discovered by Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) inspectors at the Peach Bottom, PA, nuclear power plant in 1987. As a result, the NRC shut the plant down for two years. The CEO and president lost their jobs and became the targets of a shareholder suit for millions in lost revenues.
A Portland, OR, teenager stayed an extra shift to help clean up at a McDonald's restaurant. Driving home the next morning, he fell asleep at the wheel. The teen was killed and another driver severely injured. McDonald's was sued for damages due to "employer negligence."
Is fatigue just a fact of life, or should you take steps to improve employee alertness?
Moore-Ede said it's critical for employers to look at the problem of sleepiness if the cost of errors could be high in the workplace, especially if employees are on late shifts or working at jobs susceptible to significant risks (driving, operating hazardous equipment, monitoring critical operations). He estimated productivity losses due to employee fatigue are at least 5 percent and perhaps much higher.
According to Moore-Ede: "There is quite a knowledge base and the technology is available to help employers improve shift scheduling and workplace conditions to maximize employee alertness. There are books and seminars on the subject, as well as trainers and consultants to help you." Then he advised, "The single biggest thing is to work with your employees and not to treat sleepiness as a disciplinary issue." Encourage employees to be open about their struggles with fatigue and drowsiness on the job, without fear of penalty for their honesty.
Then work together. Seek employee input for scheduling and workplace improvements. Changes they suggest can result in increased safety, productivity, quality, morale, improved health and quality of life.
Moore-Ede also suggested training employees to manage their shift work lifestyles. For some employees such as drivers and pilots, he recommended special training on the physiology of alertness, steps to sustain alertness, and how and when to rest. It would be considered reckless and irresponsible to operate a machine outside of its "design specs," but with people, such considerations are ignored all the time, pointed out Moore-Ede.
Educate managers to schedule carefully and respect human limitations. Said Moore-Ede: "When staffing 'round the clock,' think carefully about the individuals you deploy." People requirements, not machine requirements, must have priority.
Changes can also be made in your workplace to deter drowsiness. For example, research has shown the advantages of extra bright, glare-free lighting.
Again, by taking steps to improve alertness, employees will feel better, and that can lead to improved productivity, quality, and service, and reduce workplace accidents. These are all good for business, and better business is good for all concerned.
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