Fatigue in the Workplace

Fatigue is often a subject that is overlooked by many in the workplace. It can usually be regarded as having some impact on work productivity and costs. According to a study in the January Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, nearly 40 percent of U.S. workers experience fatigue, a problem that carries billions of dollars in costs from lost productivity. One of the main concerns is that fatigue can attribute to accidents in the workplace.

According to the study, "total lost productive time averaged 5.6 hours per week for workers with fatigue, compared to 3.3 hours for their counterparts without fatigue. For U.S. employers, fatigue carried overall estimated costs of more than $136 billion per year in health-related lost productivity $101 billion more than for workers without fatigue. Eighty-four percent of the costs were related to reduced performance while at work, rather than absences." Beyond the costs, fatigue can also attribute to physical and mental health problems among employees.

Researchers from the study concluded that "Interventions targeting workers with fatigue, particularly women, could have a marked positive effect on the quality of life and productivity of affected workers." The researchers also suggested that companies could offer "work-life programs" to help employees balance their work and personal responsibilities, and take steps to improve assessment and treatment for the large subgroup of workers who have fatigue co-occurring with other health conditions.



Sources:
"Fatigue In The Workplace Is Common And Costly." Medical News Today. Jan. 2007. Web.
Thanks to @SafetyCares (Twitter) for the video!