A survey of 1,297 workers in the UK by Peninsula, the employment law consultancy, has shown that 87% believe that they should be allowed an extra hour off work to have a siesta.

A total of 87% of workers believe that a siesta would enhance work performance; however, 78% of bosses consider siestas to have a negative effect on workplace productivity

Based on a polled survey of 1,297 workers from across the UK, Peter Done, managing director of Peninsula, says: “Eight in ten workers believe they should be given the opportunity to have a siesta like their Spanish counterparts, helping productivity. Power naps are becoming ever increasingly sought after by those with a busy and hectic life. People are finding the stresses of everyday life, both work and home life, ever more consuming upon their much-needed personal time to rest. During work time should the employer allow for a rest period during working hours to allow for a more productive employee? Or can it be seen that the rest period would slow down work levels and have a negative effect on the company’s efficiency?

“While most employers would probably think that the idea of allowing their staff to sleep during work hours as unnecessary and a liberty not worth issuing, they need to be aware that many employees find that during the afternoon hours their productivity levels drop. The argument on their grounds is that having a siesta can help to increase these drops in productivity and therefore help to reduce careless mistakes that some employees make. These mistakes often cost companies thousands of pounds to rectify.”