Dive Brief:

• Is it time for a wake-up call? Nearly three-quarters (74%) of U.S. workers say they work while tired, with nearly one-third (31%) saying they do so very often, according to a new survey by staffing firm Accountemps. 
• The costs of working tired – both for professionals and the businesses they work for – are high: Respondents cite lack of focus or being easily distracted (52%), procrastinating more (47%t), being grumpy (38%) and making more mistakes (29%) among the consequences.
• Younger workers might especially be burning the midnight oil, as 86% of professionals between the ages of 18 and 34 admitted to being sleepy at work often, compared to 71% of workers ages 35 to 54 and only 50% of respondents ages 55 and older. Slightly more men (77%) than women (71%) said they often work while tired.

Dive Insight

Accountemps offers some thoughts on keeping people more alert at work, including managing workloads more effectively, encouraging people to take breaks, considering more meaningful changes (flex schedules, telecommuting or putting rest/nap areas in buildings), and leading by example (managers working normal business hours, taking breaks, etc).

Bill Driscoll, a district president for Accountemps, says talking to employees individually to come up with solutions makes the most sense. He added that these discussions can yield a number of ideas to help raise the alert-levels at work, including bringing on temporary staff to cut down on working after-hours (Accountemps is in the temp business, after all).

Whatever the strategy, "failing to take action can lead to big problems such as burnout, turnover and a negative corporate culture, along with lost sales and productivity," Driscoll says.