The Practical Application of a Quiet Room - Research Proposal Example

Research Proposal to Establish a Quiet Room Thank you for the time away from my regular duties that I was granted to research the possibility of constructing a Nap Room (Quiet Room) in the office. The time was very productive and I am excited to report the good news. I spent much of the time researching verified scientific information that would confirm or negate the idea that a Quiet Room would be a benefit to the company. I found several leading experts that were all in general agreement that a nap during the day was beneficial. In addition, I found similar corporations that have had a positive experience with Quiet Rooms. During all my research I failed to locate any negative reports that indicated abuse of the system or felt it was unworkable. I took the further step of contacting maintenance to get an estimate of plans, expense and materials. These are included in the report. They have assured me that it will be a simple task to transform an existing office into a Quiet Room. I have also contacted Human Resources and they are evaluating the project to assure it has proper oversight. Interviews with employees and the questionnaires that were returned indicate a highly favorable reaction to a Quiet Room. Though there was a healthy amount of skepticism, I think the report will alleviate any lasting concerns when the value of the program is understood. The construction of a Quiet Room will certainly aid in creating a more dedicated and productive workforce. Again, thank you for allowing me the opportunity to explore this very valuable project. I feel the time was well spent and I look forward to getting the reaction of senior management. I would be glad to follow up any further issues or questions that may arise in the future with regards to this project. TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...................................................................3 The Need for a Quiet Room.....................................................3 The Practical Application of a Quiet Room.................................3 Recommendations and Implementation.....................................3 INTRODUCTION............................................................................4 BENEFITS OF A QUIET ROOM, SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH....................5 The Need for Naps...................................................................5 Dealing with Workplace Stress..................................................5 Contributes to Good Health......................................................5 Additional Benefits...................................................................6 THE EXPERIENCE OF OTHER CORPORATIONS................................6 Great Dane Trailers.................................................................6 Deloitt & Touche.....................................................................6 U.S.Army................................................................................7 Additional Corporate Benefit....................................................7 CONSTRUCTION AND COST...........................................................7 The Layout of the Quiet Room.................................................7 Construction...........................................................................8 Cost.......................................................................................8 ORGANIZATION AND OPERATION..................................................8 Responsibility..........................................................................8 The Honor System...................................................................9 Scheduling..............................................................................9 Implementation.......................................................................9 CONCLUSIONS............................................................................10 RECOMMENDATIONS...................................................................10 A FINAL NOTE.............................................................................10 Executive Summary This report outlines the risk to health and well being we expose our employees to by creating a culture of sleepiness and perpetuating the fear of proper rest. It points out the benefits that are gained when workers feel free to get the necessary rest and relaxation they need while at the job. It proposes the construction of a Quiet Room where employees can take a quiet break away from their duties in the course of their workday. The Need for a Quiet Room Health and psychologists have pointed out the need for proper rest and adequate sleep. The cost to companies in absenteeism, accidents, and lost productivity is enormous. Researchers have also found a correlation between short naps and marked improvement in alertness and mental ability. Resting quietly during the day can aid our physical health as well as our mental state. When people are in a better mood and more rested, they have fewer health problems. The concept of the Quiet Room is a tried and tested method of incorporating proper rest into our workforce. They have been used around the world and have been met with much success. The quiet time can be used during a lunch break, midday break, or an unplanned impromptu session. The short time in the Quiet Room is returned to the bottom line through its potential for increased creativity, improved job performance, and greater productivity. The Practical Application of a Quiet Room This report has shown that a Quiet Room is an affordable and practical solution to help alleviate on the job stress. The construction of a Quiet Room would entail a minimal amount of company resources or space. We currently have a designated space to locate the room and the labor needed for construction would all be in-house with no need for outside contracting. Modest furnishings would be less than $50 on a per employee basis. Recommendations for Implementation The research contained in this report has found that a Quiet Room is an affordable benefit to not only the employees but also to the company. It is easily implemented with minimal cost and involves very low maintenance. It addresses the common resistance to napping at work and provides a plan to deal with potential problems. It additionally offers a timeline and projected schedule for the completion of the project pending management approval. Napping at the Job, Not on the Job Its Time for a Nap Room Introduction Sleep related accidents cost businesses and the government an estimated $40 billion dollars per year. Lost productivity due to sleepiness costs another $18 billion (Chandler). Job stress and sleepiness, two major problems in the workplace, has a simple solution. The implementation of a Nap Room in the workplace would offer employees the needed rest and stress relief they need. Europe and Asia have pioneered the way for napping at work. They have discovered that napping can be a productive addition to the work day's activities and have embraced the concept. Originally dubbed Nap Rooms, they have become more universally known by the term Quiet Room or Enclave. The Quiet Room is an area equipped with a bed, a desk for reading, or an area to listen to soft music. Quiet Rooms offer several advantages to the workplace. Reduces workplace stress by offering a place to get away Offers an area to concentrate without distraction Can additionally be used to meditate or clear your thoughts Napping reduces burnout, irritation, frustration, and poor performance (Power Nap) Employees that are refreshed and alert are more productive and able to offer higher quality service to our clients. Napping at work, once viewed as slacking, has been scientifically shown to be a positive and necessary addition to good health. The Quiet Room is an idea being implemented with success by many major corporations and the addition of a similar area in our office is an idea whose time has come. The recent questionnaire we circulated indicated an overwhelming number of workers who felt they could benefit from a Quiet Room. Our business organization can make the construction, organization, and operation of a Quiet Room a welcome addition to our atmosphere at work. The Quiet Room is an employee benefit that will enhance the company at less cost than any other benefit which we are currently able to offer. Benefits of a Quiet Room Scientific Research The Need for Naps Harvard University has conducted extensive research on the benefits of a short nap. Reporting in the July 2002 issue of Nature Neuroscience, researchers found that short term burnout was reversed after a short, 20 minute, nap (Power Nap). One of the researchers, Dr. Sara Mednick, elaborates: Naps have been shown to benefit almost every aspect of human wellness. The benefits to the body include better heart functioning, hormonal maintenance, and cell repair. They help you live longer, stay more active, and look younger. No organ is as affected by naps (or the lack thereof) as the brain. The benefits result in greater alertness, improved memory retention and creative insight. Napping can make you a faster typist, better dancer or anything else requiring complex and coordinated motor skills. Also, a nap’s effects on mental health include improved mood, lowered stress, and greater psychological balance (Mednick). Dealing with Workplace Stress Naps are not the only method of reducing on the job stress. Quiet meditation away from co-workers, telephone calls, and computer screens can be refreshing and bring about a renewed outlook to the employee. Our business demands that our employees be leveled and thoughtful when dealing with our clients. Yet, job stress reaches beyond the immediate concerns. According to NIOSH, studies indicate that job related stress contributes to absenteeism, tardiness, and voluntary termination by workers - and these have a negative effect on the bottom line (Stress at Work). Contributes to Good Health Physical health, as well as mental health, is impacted by job stress and improper sleep. Workplace stress and insufficient sleep can contribute to cardiovascular disease, psychological disorders, and workplace injury (Stress at Work). A short nap can be considered a small investment with the greatest return in the least amount of time, an efficient sleep that fits well into a stressful schedule. A nap can be useful before an important meeting or preparing to tackle a critical project (Ketcham). Additional Benefits A 20 minute map will Increases alertness, stamina, learning, and overall performance. It also has the additional benefits of improving our mental mood and clearing the brain of useless built-up information. These increase long-term memory and aid us in our ability to accurately remember facts, names, and information. The Experience of Other Corporations The experience of other, similar corporations, has shown the concept of a Quiet Room and napping at work to be a value added benefit to the workplace. Long held fears of workers sleeping the day away or slacking have never been realized. Craig Yarde, CEO of Yarde Metals, recently installed a nap room in the office. "We're not going to have any restrictions as to who can use it, when they use it," said Yarde. Workers will grab a few winks "when they feel it's necessary, when they're overstressed or ill," said Yarde. Yarde said his trust in his employees has lessened his concern that employees will take advantage of any honor system based benefit. "They're going to make the right decision because they understand our business," Yarde said (Majerus). Great Dane Trailers Kit Hammond, President of Great Dane Trailers in Savannah, Ga., has hired a renowned expert on power napping, Tom Deluca. As one of the largest trailer and truck manufacturers in the world, Hammond believes that getting a short nap at work will improve employee production and increase their overall feeling of wellness. He has hired Deluca to train his workers in the art of napping and 60 employees signed up for the initial seminar.(Ashenden). Deloitte & Touche Deloitte & Touche, Pittsburgh’s largest consulting firm has pioneered progressive thought when it comes to employee benefits. When they remodeled their office to accommodate their 260 employees they emphasized diversity. The Deloitte Consulting Pittsburgh location, at workers request, put in a nap room when it renovated its office a year and a half ago (Ashenden). THE US ARMY…whose studies have convinced their top brass to allow officers a nod or two while on the job (Ashenden). From Japan to Germany, and from Motorola to the U.S. Marines, napping and relaxation has found to be a significant contributor to employee health and well being. Napping advocates have included Albert Einstein, Napoleon Bonaparte, Thomas Edison and three recent presidents: John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton (Brody). A Quiet Room has become an accepted and respected addition to the workplace and can be enjoyed at the benefit of our company without the outdated fears that sleeping on the job is not productive. Additional Corporate Benefit Paula Ann Hughes, Dean of the University of Dallas Graduate School of Management, has said that Nap Rooms are a way to attract and keep high quality workers. This is especially true in a tight labor market where business is forced to compete by adding value added benefits to the employee package. The idea of creating a nap room can be used as an effective marketing tool to attract top talent (Chandler). Construction and Cost The Quiet Room could easily be constructed in one of the vacant office areas currently being used for storage. The minimal contents currently stored there could be consolidated into another storage area. That office would be an ideal area of an appropriate size to construct a dual area Quiet Room. The layout shown will be an adequate area to accommodate our current staff of 85 employees. The Layout of the Quiet Room The office would be partitioned into two separate areas with soundproof room dividers. Each area would be furnished with a bed, a combination desk and vanity table, and a nightstand. These are the minimal requirements necessary to provide a comfortable place to nap, meditate, or read. In addition, each room would have a hanging clothes armoire. These furnishings would assure that employees have an area to rest and refresh and offer the privacy necessary to nap or relax. The area would also be equipped with light dimmers, alarm clocks, and mirrors. Westclox makes a gadget called Napmate, a power-nap alarm clock that has a one-button preset so you can program your nap to last for a specific number of minutes Construction After interviewing the head of maintenance, I found that the construction of the Quiet Room can be accomplished by our existing maintenance staff without the need to employ outside contractors. They have all the necessary skills and tools to bring the job to a successful conclusion. There is a minimal amount of material currently being stored in this space which can be moved to another area. The partitions are available from our existing inventory and offer the needed sound barrier we need. Construction and completion time will be less than two days and will involve no more than two workers. Cost Beds................... $ 2400.00 Armoires..............$ 600.00 Nightstands..........$ 300.00 Desk/Vanity Table.$ 700.00 Accessories...........$ 200.00 Total Material....... $ 4200.00 The estimated cost includes the materials needed to complete the rooms. It does not account for the labor involved for the construction, but falls well within the accepted price range for Quiet Rooms which generally cost between $5000 and $10000 to complete. We are in an excellent position to offer our employees this benefit at an affordable cost to the company. The per employee cost is less than $50 per employee. Organization and Operation Responsibility Human Resources is evaluating the operational aspects but have indicated that the responsibility for managing the Quiet Room will be incumbent on all employees equally. It will be treated as a common office area and as such each employee will be responsible for the cleanliness, scheduling, and care of the area. The cleaning staff will clean them as they do our other offices. We would welcome employee suggestions and future improvements will be considered on a case by case basis. The Honor System A common concern with the traditional Nap Room is that of employee abuse. This concern will be minimal in our organization due to the nature of our business and our high level of employee commitment. Our employees, though faced with deadlines, understand their individual workloads and schedules. The fear of employees slacking and sleeping through the day in the Quiet Room is an unrealistic concern that will not happen in our company. Our dedicated staff understands the need to respond to our client's needs and produce a quality product in a timely fashion. The system will be self-regulating without the need for excessive monitoring. Scheduling The nature and use of a Quiet Room does not lend itself well to advanced scheduling. An employee may have only a very short notice of their opportunity or need to benefit from some relaxation. Due to these constraints on scheduling, use would have to be on a first come first served basis with a 30 minute time limit. This system will assure fairness in the use of the area as well as accommodate the turnover of participants. Implementation Since our workforce is new to the concept of the Quiet Room, cursory orientation on its use, function, etiquette, and employee responsibility would be advantageous to undertake. A 2 hour employee session should be sufficient to fully inform the employees as well as answer any questions that they may have. By educating the employees we can assure that they will embrace the positive aspects of the Quiet Room and help make the implementation a seamless effort without undue confusion. Conclusions Research, both practical and scientific, have pointed out the benefits of having a company Quiet Room. These benefits range from the ability to attract quality workers to reducing health problems. The gains realized by having a dedicated space for rest and relaxation far outweigh the projected cost. Increased Productivity Fewer Workplace Accidents Higher Morale and Better Workplace Atmosphere Improved Health Attract More Qualified Workers The fears of having a sanctioned area to take a nap at work will not be a factor. Employees and management will accept the responsibility that comes with this valuable benefit. Employees will realize that they are sleeping at the job and not on the job. The use of the Quiet Room will be greatly influenced by our own attitudes toward our work and our workplace. The nominal cost is the most affordable option available to offer current and future employees such a valuable benefit. The cost of less than $50 per employee will soon be compensated for in increased production, lower absenteeism, and a higher quality workforce. The question is not whether we can afford to do it, but rather, can we afford not to. Recommendations I recommend we submit a budget proposal to earmark the necessary funds for this project. With the money allocated, we will be in a position to order the necessary furnishings and accessories. We also need to submit a request to maintenance to allocate the 32 man hours necessary to complete the project. Once construction is approved and completed, we can arrange for furnishings. A meeting with staff supervisors is required to produce a schedule needed to present the orientation. Completion of the area should be completed before the orientation begins. This will give the employees immediate access to the Quiet Room after a short and informative session. This will produce a greater sense of the scope and use of the Quiet Room. We need to also maintain an open channel between employees and the Quiet Room Laison to facilitate any suggestions or complaints that may arise. This will give us the insight we require to assure the Quiet Room is operating with the intended purpose, without abuse, and has the necessary accommodations to assure it is a pleasant experience. A Final Note "Don't think you will be doing less work because you sleep during the day. That's a foolish notion held by people who have no imaginations. You will be able to accomplish more. You get two days in one -- well, at least one and a half." Winston Churchill Works Cited Ashenden, Matthew. "Who is Napping." Brainwave Limited. 2005. 10 Jan. 2006 . Brody, Jane. " New Respect for the Nap, a Pause That Refreshes." Science Times January 2000. 10 Jan. 2006 < http://www.physics.ohio-state.edu/~wilkins/writing/Resources/essays/nap_refreshs.html>. Chandler, Barb. "Uncovering Workplace Napping." Executive Update Online 2004. 10 Jan. 2006 . Ketcham, Christopher. "Snooze, You Win." Men's Journal January 2006. 10 Jan. 2006 . Majerus, Jackie. "Yarde Metals, Creating a Company of Owners." The CEO Refresher 1999. 10 Jan. 2006 . Mednick, Sara C.. Dr. Sara C. Mednick. Sara C. Mednick. 2005. 10 Jan. 2006 . Power Nap Prevents Burnout; Morning Sleep Perfects a Skill. NIMH. 2002. 8 Jan. 2006 . Stress at Work. NIOSH. 1999. 10 Jan. 2006 . Audience Profile Primary Reader(s) [name], Supervisor Secondary Reader(s) [name] Management Team, Financial Officer, Human Resources Relationship: It will be viewed by the management team. Intended use/result of document: The intended use is to solidify the plan to create a Quiet room. The result will be to get the funds allocated and permission from management to pursue the project. Readers' prior knowledge of topic: The readers will have almost no prior knowledge of this topic. At most they have read a passive article that mentioned napping at work and the existence of Nap Rooms. Additional information needed: A source needs to be located for purchase of the furnishings. This information will need to be supplied by the purchasing department. Possible questions/objections: There will be an initial objection to the stereotype attitude towards sleeping at the job. The concept of a self-policing honor system will be brought into question. Audience's attitude toward topic: The audience will meet this proposal with mixed emotions. The responses will be largely skeptical and may even go to the degree of being indignant. For a U.S. corporation this is a very progressive step that will be met with a resistance to change. Organizational climate: The organization is made up of trained professional workers. After the initial reluctance, the concept of a Quiet Room will be carefully considered and the outcome will rest on the impact of the report. Why this material is important to this audience: This report gives the audience the necessary information needed to make an informed decision. It shows the benefits to both the employees and to the company's bottom line. The report promotes good health and mental well being. Read More