Poor work performance among Japanese employees strongly associated with insufficient sleep

In Japan, the decline in productivity has become a major social issue as the working-age population is decreasing owing to a lower birthrate and an increase in aging population. Therefore, companies are focusing on “health and productivity management” initiatives to maintain employee health and enhance their work performance. However, lifestyle habits that impact poor work performance of Japanese employees and the manner in which they differ between men and women have not been identified to date.

A multiple regression analysis was conducted using data from 12,526 corporate employees (aged 21–69) to examine the relationship between 11 lifestyle habits (related to smoking, exercise, diet, alcohol consumption, and sleep) and work performance, segmented by gender.

The findings, published in Journal of Public Health, indicated that insufficient sleep was most strongly related to poor work performance for both genders. Additionally, it was noted that lifestyle habits, such as slow walking speed, current smoking, and skipping breakfast, are associated with lower work performance in men, whereas in women, habits such as fast eating speed are influential.

The study suggests that health education and workplace interventions focusing on improved sleep, exercise habits, and dinner timing are vital. Moreover, it highlights the importance of gender-specific support measures.