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Nearly three-quarters of U.S. professionals work while tired, study finds

As Sunday marks Daylight Saving Time, professionals will lose another hour of sleep during tax season. However, according to a new survey from Accountemps, a Robert Half company, this lost hour will have no effect on an already tired workforce. Accountemps found that nearly three-quarters of U.S. workers work while they're tired, with one-third reporting they do so "very often."

Tiredness during work affected nearly the same amount of surveyed men (77%) as women (71%), with 86% of younger professionals aged 18-34 often feeling tired at work.

Accountemps asked respondents, "How does working while tired affect your work performance?" Their responses were thusly:

  • 52% - "I can't focus/Get distracted"
  • 47% - "I procrastinate more"
  • 38% - "I'm grumpy/grouchy"
  • 29% - "I make more mistakes"
  • 16% - "It doesn't affect me"
  • 1% - "Other"

The survey claims that lack of sleep costs U.S. companies $63 billion in lost productivity each year, citing a sleep study from journalofsleep.org.

Seeking a solution, Accountemps polled survey-takers if they would utilize a nap room if their office had one. Their responses were thusly:

  • 55% - Yes
  • 31% - No
  • 2% - Have a nap room and use it
  • 2% - Have a nap room and don't use it

For the full report, head to Robert Half's site here. For more on Accountemps, head to their site here.

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