Time changes suck! They make people tired. Tired employees are more likely to act out in aggressive and inappropriate ways. This puts them, their colleagues, or the company as a whole into a tough situation.
How did you feel waking up to go to work this morning? If you live in an area where the time changed yesterday, you may feel a little ‘off’ versus a typical Monday. This actually increases the risk of conflict or inappropriate behavior in the workplace.
Research from the University of Pennsylvania indicated there can be a marked increase in crimes after time changes. Depending on the dataset, these increases occur in Spring and Fall.
A lost hour of sleep? What’s the big deal? Well, sleep disruptions can lead to an increase in anti-social and violent behavior. When time changes impact sleep patterns, people have more difficulty adjusting than many realize. It is unlikely that one hour, in and of itself, will have sufficient physiological impact to modify behavior meaningfully. That said, the researchers stated that our “internal biases” may come into play and lead us to act out towards others in negative ways. If you think you’re going to be tired, grumpy and irritable, you probably will be, and that will be reflected in your social interactions.
It sounds a little silly, but be extra careful at the office the day after the time shifts. People may be a little more edgy than usual, and that can lead to behaviors that may land them, you, or the company in a bunch of trouble.
Time changes suck – they really do. But, let’s face it, they happen twice a year, every year. So, if you have concern that your employees are more likely to act out, maybe it’s time to have them go through pelotonRPM’s Workplace Bullying simulation.
