- 2024 Annual HIF Sleep Index score 59.2 (decline from 61.6 in 2023).
- Australians are significantly more likely to say that poor sleep had a negative impact on them personally this year. Biggest impacts: mental and physical health, decision-making, ability to work and self-care.
Aussies are exhausted and it’s showing up in workplaces across the country according to new data released this week by Private Health Insurer HIF.
The annual sleep survey conducted by CoreData on behalf of HIF has uncovered that up to one in five workdays are being affected by poor sleep with significant economic impacts.
The research revealed that more than half of working Aussies have turned up to work exhausted in the last year, with the overwhelming majority saying this has impacted their productivity at work.
The 2024 HIF Sleep Index Survey of 1,003 Australians identified:
- More than half of working Aussies (54%) admit they have turned up to work exhausted in the last year, and almost nine in 10 say it’s impacting their productivity
- Nearly three in 10 Aussies have faked a ‘sickie’ because they were too tired to work (28%).
- 15% of working Aussies have taken a ‘sneaky’ nap at work/during work hours.
- On average, those who work tired say their productivity declines by 15%.
“This research highlights some concerning data about Aussies and their sleep and how exhausted we are as a nation,” HIF CEO Justin James said.
“HIF recognises sleep as one of the three pillars of health and is committed to supporting people to get the best night’s sleep. Not getting enough of it is clearly costing the economy dearly – but the health impacts are so significant, and often underestimated.
“Not enough importance is placed on sleep in Australia, and we’re working hard to help change that narrative. There are no medals for ‘powering through’; sleep is a health issue, and we need to treat it as such. No one needs to ‘fake a sickie’ if they’re tired. We’ve implemented company-wide training about sleep to make sure our team prioritise it and we encourage our team to take personal leave as they need it. And to help them ‘nap openly’ during work hours we’ve introduced a sleep space at our head office.”
Sleep expert Amanda Slinger, who works with businesses across the country to optimise employee performance said the results are concerning.
Poor sleep is a critical workplace issue, affecting both employee and organisational health and performance through higher absenteeism, reduced productivity, and weakened innovation,” Amanda said.
When employees are under-slept, they’re at greater risk of errors, poor decisions, and stress-related illnesses, which directly impact an organisation’s bottom line."
The workplace gives employers a powerful opportunity to enhance employee sleep health through targeted education and smart work design."
With a high percentage of FIFO (Fly in Fly Out) workers in Australia, the survey also highlighted that nearly eight in 10 shift workers of 10+ hours (79%) say they’ve turned up to work exhausted and a third of night shift workers admit to having fallen asleep at work (33%).
HIF has launched a new content hub to support Australians with their sleep health. Visit https://sleep.hif.com.au/ and take a quiz to reveal your Sleep ID and access tailored resources, including an eight-part podcast, to help you transform your sleep health.
For more information, read the executive summary of the Sleep Index Report.
About HIF:
HIF believes in the importance of sleep to ensure overall health and well-being. HIF’s sleep hub includes a raft of information to help all Australian’s sleep more soundly. For HIF members, HIF offers a range of products and services for its members to support their sleep health including:
- Sleep studies.
- Digital apps to track and analyse sleep behaviour.
- Sleep health guidance and advice for new parents.
- Treatments for sleep related conditions (sleep apnoea, weight management, psychology).
For more information, please visit https://sleep.hif.com.au/
HIF has been supporting its members and their families' health and wellbeing for over 70 years. A not-for-profit health fund, HIF prides itself on providing choice and access to its members. Whether it's choice of hospital, specialist, or other provider, HIF gives members total freedom to make these decisions when it comes to their health.
About Amanda Slinger: Amanda is one of Australia’s leading experts in sleep health and the Founder of SleepSpot. As a passionate advocate for optimising sleep through education and coaching she is a sought-after professional speaker and media commentator. Amanda is a certified Sleep Practitioner, holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a Graduate Diploma in Health and Safety, and is completing a Graduate Certificate in Business Psychology. https://sleepspot.com.au/home