Feeling tired at work is a challenge for many employees—and employers. It can affect an employee’s health, safety, productivity, and overall wellbeing. Knowing the signs and symptoms of fatigue and taking a proactive approach to improving it before it becomes a significant issue ensures a healthy, safe, and productive work environment for all your employees. In this article, we discuss how you can spot the symptoms of work exhaustion, what causes fatigue, and how to reduce it in the workplace.

What are the symptoms of being tired at work?

Work fatigue increases the frequency of accidents, injuries, and absences and reduces focus, concentration and productivity. But there’s more to feeling tired than just the mid-afternoon yawns that follow a carb-heavy lunch. Here are some signs and symptoms your tired workers may be exhibiting:

What causes fatigue?

Regarding health and safety, fatigue refers to the physical or mental exhaustion that reduces an employee’s ability to perform work effectively and safely. The most common causes of fatigue can happen because of the workplace or something in your employees’ personal lives:

What can employers do to reduce work exhaustion?

Employers are responsible for eliminating—or at the very least, helping employees cope with work fatigue. While you can’t control the things that increase fatigue after hours, you can enhance your work environment to reduce the symptoms of feeling tired and exhausted. Here are some ways you can help your employees feel less tired at work:

1. Encourage break times

Working long hours can negatively affect your employees—especially if they’re not taking advantage of their break times. For maximum efficiency, studies show that employees should take short breaks after every 90-120 minutes of work. Working any longer without taking a break in between decreases focus and performance. Therefore, encouraging multiple breaks throughout the day rather than allotting a more extended lunch is highly beneficial for both you and your employees. Here’s how you can promote break times:

Encourage your employees to take their breaks away from their workstations. Suggest they go to a common area, cafeteria, or outside on a nice day. Taking a break means being away from all things work-related so try not to bother them with texts, phone calls, or emails to maximize their break time.

2. Improve workplace lighting

Insufficient lighting increases symptoms of exhaustion. However, having the proper lighting in your workplace can significantly reduce drowsiness and boost productivity—as long as you don’t choose dim or warm lighting. These types of lighting promote relaxation and comfort, which can be counterproductive in the workplace. Instead, choose natural or LED lighting with high colour temperatures to enhance productivity and reduce work exhaustion.

3. Create standing stations

If your employees sit for more than eight hours a day, you’re encouraging a sedentary lifestyle that can increase fatigue and decrease mental wellbeing. Standing while working helps improve blood circulation, which in turn increases energy. There are a few ways you can promote more standing time at work:

4. Educate your employees on good sleep hygiene

The primary cause of fatigue is not getting enough or inadequate sleep. Medical and sleep experts agree that the average employee requires between 7-9 hours of sleep every night. However, a study conducted by sleep solutions company—dayzz—showed that the actual number of hours that employees sleep is closer to 6.4 per night. Restricted sleep (when you sleep less than 6 hours per night) causes cognitive impairment that equates to someone awake for between 24 and 48 hours straight. This is a workplace disaster just waiting to happen.

Additional survey findings showed:

A good way to prevent fatigue in the workplace is by educating your employees on good sleep hygiene. Here are some preventative measures worth mentioning:

5. Cut longer shifts into multiple shifts

Employees working long hours have a higher risk of chronic fatigue and other health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and mental health disorders. Restrict shifts to eight hours and allow plenty of time for rest in between shifts. There should always be a two-day break between work weeks. This also means not bothering your employees after work hours unless necessary.

6. Curb stress with Aromatherapy

Constantly being under stress would leave anyone feeling fatigued. Whether that stress stems from your employee’s home or the workplace, finding ways to help curb it can significantly reduce fatigue in the workplace. One particular tool for easing stress is aromatherapy. Certain fragrances like peppermint, lavender, bergamot, jasmine and ylang-ylang promote calming states and reduce stress. Consider setting up aroma diffusers around the workplace to encourage relaxation and curb fatigue. Check with your employees to ensure no one has any allergies or intolerances to fragrances before using any scented products in the workplace.

7. Divide employees into teams

It’s easier to cope with fatigue when it’s a team effort. One powerful way to empower your employees to fight fatigue is to divide everyone into smaller teams and have them watch for signs of stress, tiredness, and exhaustion within their group. Whenever someone notices signs or symptoms of fatigue either in themself or in teammates, they should work collaboratively with HR to find ways to combat them. Incorporating fatigue risk management systems (FRMS) helps detect workplace fatigue faster. Rather than having the responsibility fall solely on management, employees work together to identify, report, and manage instances of exhaustion and fatigue.

Employers can create their own FRMS by:

8. Offer insurance to cover sleep disorders

Investing in an insurance plan or an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that covers sleep disorders allows your employees to get help with recovering from fatigue issues. Many people suffer from sleep disorders but may not have the means or resources to reach out for help. Your support can help employees get their life back once and for all.

9. Promote a healthy work-life balance

It’s not easy juggling work, kids, household responsibilities, personal relationships, and self-care. Your employees may be exhausted from trying to find the right balance between work and personal life. Talk with them about the source of their fatigue. If it stems from work, consider offering them a reduced, hybrid, or flexible work schedule.