Asleep on the job
Companies make room for the office power nap, recognizing need for rest
TORONTO — Snoozing on the job isn’t just permitted at Bob Vaez’s software company, it’s encouraged.
The Toronto boss of Eventmobi describes himself as “the only CEO that promotes people to sleep at work,” insisting the policy boosts productivity and company morale.
To that end, Eventmobi’s open-concept waterfront office features a private nap room where workers can grab a few Zs if they feel sluggish, or just get some alone time in a dark space if they have a headache or don’t feel well.
“It’s just from my own experience,” Vaez says of his reasons for setting up the quiet space.
“As (with) any other tech professional worker, you work really odd hours and your brain just sometimes shuts off. Especially after lunch you just can’t work and I’ve been to other offices (where) people sleep at their desk and it’s really frowned upon. If you can’t work, what’s the point?”
The benefits of adequate sleep are well-established, but Vaez’s willingness to address tired staffers in such a direct way is relatively rare.
Still, he’s not the only one. Google Canada spokesman Aaron Brindle says nap rooms can be found in the tech giant’s offices around the world, including the Toronto office where a wellness space for nursing mothers can be reserved for taking a break, or taking a nap.
Another space at their engineering headquarters in Kitchener, Ont., features two high-tech recliners with large spherical privacy visors for extra-tired employees looking to grab some shut-eye.
Meanwhile, management consulting firm Accenture says its three-floor Toronto office features a wellness room where staffers can snooze. That’s in addition to various inclusivity initiatives - gender neutral and accessible washrooms, a room for nursing mothers, and a meditation/prayer room with a foot-washing station.
It’s a phenomenon that seems primarily centred in technology and marketing sectors, says Alina Owsianik, director of talent acquisition, diversity and inclusion at Randstad Canada.
Owsianik knows of at least five Randstad clients with nap rooms, and credits their existence to a new generation of workers who increasingly blur the line between their home and work lives.
“Millennials are spending much more time than our parents did at work. They also work crazy hours, different hours, and we want to adjust the work style and the balance to their needs,” she says.
“(That includes) a lot of development shops, technology shops, where maybe there are crazy deadlines or people like to work in the evenings (and) have a nap during the daytime. That’s why we see employers actually adapting the workspace and creating a dedicated space to take a nap.”
She believes it’s more than just a fad, insisting “they are becoming more and more popular” as an added tool to recruit top talent.
Owsianik says Randstad began testing its own version of the nap room, dubbed the “recharge room,” after an employee committee suggested the measure as a way to address mentalhealth issues.
It has a couch, diffuser with essential oils, a salt lamp, mats for stretching, and a couch for resting and napping.
“There are a lot of people that are not declaring disability or mental disability,” she notes.
“And we are working in a highly sales-driven environment where there is a lot of stress so we really wanted to create a space where people can relax, have a nap.”
For job-seekers weighing multiple offers, a healthy workplace can win them over, she adds, believing many workers want more than just a good salary.
“Millennials and the younger talent and the younger generation are looking more for the rewarding career (and) selfdevelopment rather than just the pay.”
“As (with) any other tech professional worker, you work really odd hours and your brain just sometimes shuts off” Bob Vaez Eventmobi