Effects of work arrangements on the sleep regimen of creative research and development employees

Abstract

Traditional ‘nine-to-five’ working schedules do not consider individual characteristics. We identify what types of employees suffer from the adverse effects of work arrangements on their sleep regimen based on a survey of Estonian creative research and development (R&D) employees (N = 153). We present ordinary least squares and ordered probit regression estimates and recursive structural equation model estimates of the employees’ perceived level of sleep regimen disruption. We find that evening-type employees, women and employees with a lower creative intensity of work perceive with a significantly higher probability that work limits their sleep, while employees having flexibility in both working time and workplace feel less impacted by work-driven constraints on their sleep regimen. Granting working time and workplace flexibility and avoiding the allocation of excessive administrative duties to creative R&D employees may have a considerable positive impact on improving their sleep, thus contributing to improving their well-being and work results.