E-Paper
Wakefit announces official nap time in the afternoon for employees
A Bengaluru-based start-up Wakefit, which is popular for its mattresses, has announced an official afternoon nap time for its employees from 2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
In an internal company email, Chaitanya Ramalingegowda, the co-founder of Wakefit, announced an official afternoon nap time for his employees from 2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
The email was titled "Announcing Your Right To Nap", in which the start-up founder said, “We have been in the business of sleep for over six years now, and yet, have failed to do justice to a crucial aspect of rest -the afternoon nap. We have always taken naps seriously, but starting today, we will be taking things up a notch."
Quoting NASA and Harvard studies, Ramalingegowda said that afternoon naps help with memory, concentration, creativity, and productivity, and a 26-minute catnap can enhance performance by 33%, and prevent burnout.
He further wrote, “Keeping these in mind, we have decided to normalize afternoon naps at work and declare 2 to 2:30 pm as official nap time for all our employees. From now on, you will have the right to nap between 2 to 2.30 pm. Your calendar will be blocked during this time as official nap time. We are also working towards creating cosy nap pods and quiet rooms in the office to build the perfect nap environment for you,” and ended the email with “Looking forward to catching you sleeping at work.”
Netizens appreciated the move and shared their opinions on Wakefit's decision. While some called the move as humanising employees who are often looked at as productivity machines, some questioned on how it will actually work.
A user by the handle Dinesh Chandar wrote, "Companies needs to treat employees like real people and not "resource". Here is a Co-Founder of a Mattress company "Wakefit" #workreform"
Meanwhile, another user by the name Ravi Handa tweeted, "While I appreciate masters doing more for their servants, how exactly would a ‘half an hour nap time’ during working hours work? I mean can you go to sleep exactly at 2 and wake up at 2:30! (For those unaware I am referring to the nap time introduced by wakefit)."
