Hello, this is HIRUNEGAO.
Today I'd like to talk a little about the topic of "What happens if you have a nap room in your company?"
At first glance, this may seem like a serious discussion about employee benefits, but it is actually a real topic that directly relates to everyday life in the office.
Recently, nap rooms are becoming more common in companies.
In recent years, the number of companies installing nap rooms or "power nap rooms" in their offices has been gradually increasing.
It has been widely adopted not only by large foreign companies like Google, but also by domestic IT companies and ventures.
The idea that taking a nap means slacking off is outdated.
Nowadays, taking a nap is becoming a special technique to restore your fighting power in the afternoon.
The devil's hour of 2pm
2:00 PM.
This is the time of day when the fried chicken set meal you had for lunch starts to slowly make its presence felt in your stomach.
The fluorescent lights in the conference room were so bright that the text on the slides began to appear wavy.
Before I knew it, the memo section of my notebook was filled with strings of letters like "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA" that sounded like automatic writing...
My colleague next to me started rowing while still holding a pen, and woke up when he hit his head on the desk with a loud bang.
For just that moment, everyone in the conference room looked at him, and he blushed and made the excuse, "No, I was just thinking about something."
This is a common thing in offices.
But what if you had an environment where you could say, "I'm going to take a quick nap"?
You'll be able to stop fighting sleepiness and get your afternoon work done.
Benefit 1: Greatly improved work efficiency
A NASA study found that a 26-minute nap can improve performance by 34% and alertness by 54%.
It would be more accurate to think of naps as a secret trick to increase efficiency rather than as slacking off.
Take the new employee Sato. In the morning, he was repeatedly criticized by his seniors for typos in his documents, but after returning from a nap in the afternoon, he was able to offer up accurate opinions in his presentation.
My boss couldn't help but say, "You're a different person in the morning and in the afternoon."
Just a quick nap can change a person so much.
Benefit 2: Protecting your mental health
If you continue to lack sleep, fatigue and stress will accumulate in your brain.
Yamada from the sales department is usually a mood maker, but lately he's been feeling irritable due to lack of sleep.
Just because the copy machine jammed, he took out his anger on the printer, saying, "Why me?"
But it's different on days when I take a 20-minute nap during my lunch break.
By the afternoon, his expression had softened and he was able to apologize, saying, "I was taking out my frustration on the printer earlier, sorry."
A nap is like a little reset button that helps you regain your composure. It's the simplest form of mental care you can take without relying on medication or supplements.
Advantage 3: It also works for corporate branding
Nap rooms aren't just for employees; they're also a plus for your company's brand.
I've seen job-hunting students come to visit our company and their eyes light up the moment they are shown to the nap room.
"Wow, there's a nap room? That's amazing..."
Just having the phrase "nap room available" written on a job posting will make people think, "This company cares about its employees."
This is beneficial for recruitment and also increases the motivation of existing employees.
If you can improve your brand image just by removing one conference room and replacing it with a sofa, it's not a bad investment.
Nap Room Tip 1: Separate it from the work space
However, the way it is implemented is important.
If you mix it with your work space, you might find yourself unable to sleep because the phone is ringing.
At one company, when a sofa for napping was placed at the edge of the office, the laughter of the manager sitting next to them echoed, causing complaints from employees that it was "more stressful."
Quietness is essential in a nap room, so make sure to separate it properly and create a relaxing space.
Nap Room Tip 2: Create an environment suitable for naps
There are three key points to creating a comfortable sleeping environment.
- Sleeping position : Reclining sofa or nap chair
- Blackout : Block out light with curtains or an eye mask
- Sound environment : Relax with white noise, such as the sound of waves or rain
At one company, when they played the sound of light rain in the nap room, employees said, "Being here makes me feel like I'm camping," and they started looking forward to taking naps.
It's nice to work at a company where you look forward to your breaks.
Summary: A sleeping company is a strong company
There are three main benefits to having a nap room in your company.
- Improved work efficiency
- Protect your mental health
- Effective for corporate branding
The key points are to separate it from the work space and to create a comfortable environment.
It's much healthier to feel refreshed with a 15-minute nap than to force yourself through afternoon sleepiness with three cups of coffee.
In the future, it may be that "sleeping companies" will become strong companies.
Is it time to consider introducing a nap room into your office?
