Focusing on the health and wellness of building occupants is becoming an increasingly important tenet of a facility manager’s job. From making sure indoor air quality is top-notch to providing shower facilities and incentives for employees who bike to work, health and wellness is becoming an all-hands-on-deck initiative.
For some organizations, those efforts also means providing places where employees can catch a quick nap, if need be. This Chicago Tribune article reports on the way specialized napping pods are gaining momentum among forward-thinking businesses.
About one-third of adults do not get enough sleep, and sleep deprivation annually costs the United States $411 billion in economic losses and about 1.23 million working days.
A number of manufacturers have introduced high-tech napping pods for employees to grab a quick snooze during the course of the workday. These napping pods include relaxing sound and light atmospheres to “gently guide the user through a 15-minute power nap,” according to the article. These napping pods carry a hefty price tag – up to $20,000. And of course there’s still the issue of company culture: Many companies still will resist the idea of allowing and encouraging employees to nap during the work day.
This Quick Read was submitted by Greg Zimmerman, executive editor, Building Operating Management. Read his recent story about the new LEED v4.1 rating system.
