Napping at work has become routine for nearly half of remote and hybrid employees, with flexible schedules opening the door to daytime sleep and a new 'power napping' culture.
A recent survey of 1,002 remote and hybrid workers by Amerisleep found that 48% are napping during official work hours, averaging 1.3 hours of sleep per week. That adds up to 68 hours annually, or the equivalent to nine full workdays.
Managers nap more than staff
Managers were more likely than employees to admit to on-the-clock naps, with 53% of leaders compared to 48% of staff saying they nap during working hours.
While 51% of remote workers nap in bed, others prefer the couch (32%) or desk chair (10%). Gen Z leads generationally, with 58% saying they nap during the day, followed by millennials (51%) and Gen X (39%).
Marketing and finance professionals topped the industry list, with 59% in each sector napping on the job, followed by hospitality/food (54%), education (53%), and retail/e-commerce (51%).
More than half (58%) of remote workers said they hide their napping from their boss, with one in five scheduling fake meetings to cover their downtime. Still, one in ten admitted they’ve been caught.
Perks exchanged for sleep as attitudes shift
When asked which benefits they would trade for the ability to nap, 45% chose team happy hours, 40% said free snacks or coffee, 15% cited wellness stipends, 12% were willing to lose PTO, and 9% would sacrifice a four-day workweek.
Nearly two-thirds would give up at least one PTO day annually if their workplace supported naps, with 37% ready to surrender two days and 20% willing to give up three.
Among leaders, 73% said employees should be allowed to nap as long as they meet their deadlines. One in six managers go further, actively encouraging teams to rest during work hours. In marketing, that number jumps to 31%.
Still, resistance remains. In government roles, 60% of leaders said they discourage napping or view it as unprofessional - the highest rate of opposition in the survey.
But, as remote work continues to evolve, nap culture is becoming a notable feature of the modern workplace, with rest increasingly valued over traditional benefits and prepared to be traded on.