This Perth office is encouraging naps at work. Here’s why yours should too

Having spent time working in Shanghai, James saw that napping at work was more widely accepted, with staff seats convertible to lay flat.

There is also the case of the Spanish siesta – a period of time after lunch where many shops close for staff to go home and rest.

Now in use for more than a month, James said the stigma around resting at work was slowly breaking, with the “rest and relax” room becoming more in-demand.

“In Australian workplaces, we used to think sleeping at work in any capacity was taboo,” he said.

“But I saw in China people respect sleep, and they understand that productivity, good sleep and good health should all be part of one solution.”

The room is a dark, cool and quiet space – complete with sleep machine – that can be booked just like scheduling a regular meeting.

HIF employee Ryan Miller, 29, welcomed the idea and admitted he had been able to fall asleep at work while using the space.

“I am guilty of sometimes coming into work completely exhausted, and I will catch myself slowing down,” he said.

“I just go and have a nap, and then I’m back, working faster than what I would have done.”

Sleep expert Amanda Slinger, who works with businesses across the country to optimise employee performance, said poor sleep was a critical workplace issue.

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“When employees are under-slept, they’re at greater risk of errors, poor decisions, and stress-related illnesses, which directly impact an organisation’s bottom line,” she said.

As well as the dedicated room for sleeping, HIF staff also took company-wide training to encourage making sleep a priority.

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