Mr Gucci “big-Boss” La Frenga Business Report

Barn-house Consultants

Newcastle Office

2 September 2018

Mr CEO

Hawkeye Research

Dear Mr Gucci “Big-Boss” La Frenga

Johnny Ive

Barn-house Consultants

Enhancing Workplace Performance -

Critical Personal Factors

A Report for Mr Gucci “Big-Boss” La Frenga

CEO, Hawkeye Research

Report Prepared by Johnny Ive, Barn-yard Consulatants

2 September 2018Executive Summary (300 words) page i


The purpose of this report is to outline the positive impacts of sleep, exercise, nutrition and mental health on productivity of workers in a business. This report also discusses how not taking care of ones health inline with the above factors, can lead to large losses for the business with unproductive workers, who are reluctant to work or unable to perform their day to day tasks due to poor health. Furthermore, this report explores the relationship between a number of these health factors including:

interrelation between exercise and improving mental health

interrelation between sleep and overall health and wellbeing

and the interrelation between a nutritional diet and overall health and wellbeing.

The methods used to record and collect data and information was predominantly through the use of medical journals, magazines and research papers, scholarly articles and reports which aided in formulating the ideas, arguments and recommendations present in this report.

The significant findings in this report include:

Table of Contents Page

Executive Summary

Introduction

Authorisation

Limitations

Scope of the Report

The Importance of Sleep

The Importance of Exercise

The Importance of Nutrition

The Importance of Mental Health

Conclusion

Recommendations

References

Glossary

Appendices

Appendix 1 -

Appendix 2 - Introduction

The Importance of Sleep and Increasing Productivity

Sleep Deprivation Negatively Affects Productivity

Sleep deprivation is caused by an insufficient amount of sleep or quality of sleep. A person experiencing sleep deprivation can be affected by many factors, which can greatly reduce productivity, performance and efficiency. The Victorian Governments “Better Health Channel” (https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/sleep-deprivation) outlines the negative impacts of sleep deprivation. These include:

Reduced alertness & awareness of the environment and situation

Shortened attention span

Slower than normal reaction time

Poorer judgement and decision-making skills

Poorer memory

Reduced concentration

Reduced work efficiency

Loss of motivation

Furthermore, as shown in a study by Williamson, A. M., & Feyer, A. M. (2000), staying awake for 24 hours will lead to reaction speeds similar to that of a person who has a blood alcohol content of 0.1, showing that sleep deprivation can greatly affect ones ability to carry out set tasks in an effective and efficient manner and lead to loss in productivity.

A research article published by J.M.Elenbogen (2003) indicates that sleep loss can incur profound impairments on workers and reduction in behavioural performance, In short, this means that the workers who are impacted by sleep deprivation have a shorter attention span, decrease in capability of decision making will tend to make an increased amount of errors in the workplace. A study by C.P.Landrigan et al 2003, of medical interns provided insight onto the detrimental impacts of sleep loss. This study focused on 643 admissions at a hospital. The evidence from this study concluded that the interns who were working while deprived of sleep resulted in 35.9% more serious medical errors than those interns who were well rested. This study can be adapted to a multitude of workplaces, and show that sleep deprivation can lead to a high margin of error.

Sleep deprivation can also impact on workers ability to make flexible decisions and think innovatively, as shown in a study by Harrison, Y., & Horne, J. A. (1999). This test of 10 people showed that a single night without sleep can cause impairment to ones ability adapt to changes in situations, led to increased errors and reduced performance.

Improving Sleep for Peak Human Performance

The Importance of Exercise and Increasing Productivity & Overall Health

How Does Exercise Positively Impact Health

Exercise is an an activity which is carried out to sustain or improve ones health and fitness. A lack of exercise can result in potentially serious health problems including:

susceptibility to chronic diseases such as cardiovascular, diabetes, cancer, obesity and depression

premature death

The heightened risk of such diseases in workers could result in an increase in sick days and lowered productivity of workers. An example of the benefit of exercise on health is being fit or active can reduce the risk of mortality by greater than 50% Myers J, Kaykha A, George S, et al. (2004). Furthermore, the added benefit of increased exercise levels can be seen when measuring the expenditure of calories per week from performing physical activity. For each additional 1000 calories or 4200kJ expended per week, will result in an increase of 1 MET (metabolic equivalent) which decreases the chance of mortality by 20%. Hu FB, Willett WC, Li T, et al. (2004).

The Benefits of Exercise on Productivity

It is a known fact that exercise positively impacts almost all of the bodies systems. Research shows that exercise can aid in the regeneration and strengthening of the brains neurones. Exercise induced what is called a brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF). BDNFs induced by exercise can support the health and function of the brains glutamatergic neurons which are responsible for cognitive, sensory and motor function.The benefits of exercise on brain function include:

increase in neuronal plasticity

enhanced learning abilities

improved mental health i.e. a reduction in stress and anxiety

Cotman, C. W., & Engesser-Cesar, C. (2002).

With this information it can now be seen that with a lowered risk of chronic disease, improved mental health and brain function and the ability to learn and adapt to change, exercise can greatly improve the productivity of workers.

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With this information it can be seen that workers who exercise have a much lowered risk of sickness and diseases, which would result in less absenteeism and employee turnover. Exercise, with its ability to also improve and increase cognitive function, the ability to learn and increase neuroplasticity, will result in workers who are much more able to adapt to sudden change and negative external stimuli to be reliable, efficient and productive.

STUDY 2 - Exercise as an Augmentation Treatment for Nonremitted Major Depression Disorder

study shows that exercise has the ability to function as a non-pharmacological treatment for depression (and also other mental illnesses i.e. IMPROVING MENTAL HEALTH).

exercise - office workplace, not much movement, exercise ensures all workers are healthy fit - reduce health problems

increased energy levels, brain health, memory, relaxation, stress reliever, improves overall health (key in jobs such as offices, labourers etc…)

Exercise has the ability to not only improve factors surrounding the general health of employees but can also lead to The Importance of Nutrition in Achieving Increased Productivity & Achieving Peak Human