Sleep deficit and managers’ functioning in stressful situations

Purpose: The aim of the article is to present the relationship between the daily sleep index of managers and their behaviour in stressful situations. Design/methodology/approach: The article presents an overview of the determinants that influence how people in managerial positions choose to deal with stressful situations, a subject well described in psychological literature. This choice is determined by requirements and organizational context and is developed based on one’s personal experience. This personal propensity should also be considered in the context of sleep deficit, which is not uncommon in today’s organisational cultures as lack of sleep for the sake of increased managerial engagement and activity is not only quite commonplace, but is often glorified as a strategy. Findings: The considerations presented in the article indicate that sleep, as an individual resource of every manager, creates the space that is needed for the implementation of appropriate strategies for coping with stress in the workplace. Research limitations/implications: It is worth performing more research on larger sample groups, who would be differentiated according to organizational level and the decision-making independence of the managers being surveyed. Practical implications: As identified by the research presented here, understanding the relationship between sleep deficit and the behaviour of managers in situations of emotional stress could help to create future working conditions that are beneficial for people’s mental well-being and eliminating the consequences of sleep deficit, which can be dangerous for both individuals and their organisations. Social implications: If organisations factored sleep, understood as the ‘right to get enough sleep’, into the well-being criteria for the benefit of their workforce, including their managers, this could help them in their focus on health as a responsibility they are accountable for in business. Originality/value: The article determined the psycho-physical consequences of sleep deprivation as experienced by contemporary managers and the impact of sleep deficit on their behaviour in stressful circumstances. It has been shown that sleep, as a pivotal element contributing to ‘health and energy’, is a key competence resource of every manager.