The survey, conducted by the Medical Defence Union (MDU), found that 35% of doctors stated that tiredness affected the way they treated patients safely, an increase from 26% in 2022.
The survey findings, which were published yesterday (3 March), also highlighted that 90% of respondents feel sleep-deprived at work, a 20% increase from 2022.
Meanwhile, Mental Health First Aid England (MHFA England), an organisation offering mental health training in the workplace, launched a new course today (4 March) to help managers support team members’ performance and mental health.
The course responds to the challenges that managers face in balancing employee wellbeing with performance expectations, according to MFHA England.
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Employers have a duty to assess for psychological risks in the workplace and this can often be difficult to navigate, according to Letitia Rowlin, principal wellbeing consultant at consultancy firm, Aon.
Rowlin told HR magazine: “Employers need to risk assess for psychosocial risks in the workplace which include work demands. Where these are high, [employers should] put in place control measures to reduce the risk of harm to workers.
“This can be difficult for employers to navigate with the tension between delivering more with less and greater expectations from workers for their employers to look after their wellbeing.”
Tiredness in the workplace can affect employees in a range of ways, according to Matt Slavin, a stress and burnout psychologist.
He told HR magazine: “Tiredness doesn’t just drain energy, it changes how we think, feel and interact.
“On an individual level, exhaustion shrinks cognitive bandwidth. Decision-making gets slower, small challenges feel overwhelming, and frustration builds.”
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Slavin emphasised the dangers of ignoring when tiredness becomes an issue. He said: “The real danger I see is that when tiredness becomes the norm, people stop questioning it. They just push through, thinking it’s normal to feel this way. But over time, that takes a toll: motivation dips, frustration builds and performance suffers.”
Wellbeing support from HR can sometimes help but is often a token gesture, according to Dave James, a speaker, coach and ex-A&E nurse.
James told HR magazine: “Understanding why employees are experiencing extreme tiredness is the first place to start. Until that is done, the problem will persist.
“The knock-on effects of reduced funding, reduced staffing, less clinical capacity and greater service demand means that tired staff are being asked to do more.
“When I was nursing, clinically things were not easy. Personally I am not surprised that tiredness is increasing in the workplace. A lot has been asked of healthcare workers in recent years. Until the underlying support is put in place, the problem will likely persist.”
