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How does fatigue affect workplace performance?

Author

Emily Ross

Published Jan 15, 2026

The consequences of fatigue

Fatigue causes employee performance to suffer due to a diminished ability to make safe decisions, reduced attention spans, impaired memory, and decreased reaction time and accuracy.

How can fatigue affect performance at work?

Work Performance: You may experience a loss of productivity when you are more fatigued on the job. Those who are on shift work, night shift, rotating shift, or work overtime hours may see a decline in their work performance.

How does fatigue affect productivity?

Fatigue greatly impacts the workplace in terms of productivity: Workers who sleep fewer than six hours per night cost employers about six workdays a year in productivity. Employees who sleep six to seven hours each night cost employers 3.7 workdays a year in productivity.

How does fatigue affect the workplace safety and productivity?

Fatigue doesn't just cause workers to feel more tired - it also increases the rate of accidents and injuries, reduces productivity, and causes absenteeism. There are no specific OSHA guidelines around fatigue, but that doesn't mean it's not a significant workplace safety issue.

What are the effects of fatigue on industrial workers?

Fatigue can slow down reaction times, reduce attention or concentration, limit short-term memory and impair judgement. High levels of fatigue can affect any worker in any occupation or industry with serious consequences for worker safety and health.

41 related questions found

Why is fatigue an issue at workplace?

Why is fatigue a problem in the workplace? Fatigue may increase the risk of incidents because of a lack of alertness. Fatigue may result in a slower reaction to signals or situations and affect the ability to make good decisions, particularly when: operating fixed or mobile plant including driving vehicles.

What are the impacts of fatigue?

The most significant outcomes of fatigue include short-term cognitive and physical degradation and, to a lesser extent, error, injury, and illness.

What does fatigue influence mean?

Fatigue is often thought of as the state of feeling very tired, weary or sleepy resulting from various sources such as insufficient sleep, prolonged mental or physical work, or extended periods of stress or anxiety. Boring or repetitive tasks can intensify feelings of fatigue.

How does stress and fatigue affect your ability to work safely?

In the workplace, fatigue negatively affects an employee's ability to perform their work effectively, and in some cases, safely. Safe Work Australia lists signs of fatigue, including: Tiredness even after sleep. Reduced hand-eye coordination or slow reflexes.

Why is fatigue management important?

One of the most important benefits is that proper fatigue management can lower the rate of accidents that occur by positively impacting the rate of human error and reducing it. It also increases the rate of productivity in several ways. Workers are healthier and happier, resulting in less time off work.

How do you deal with fatigue at work?

Tips to stay awake at work

  1. Go for a walk before work. Getting some fresh air and moving your body before work can help keep you awake. ...
  2. Take a nap before work. ...
  3. Take activity breaks. ...
  4. Keep your workspace bright. ...
  5. Drink water. ...
  6. Drink caffeine early in your shift. ...
  7. Keep snacks handy. ...
  8. Get the easy stuff out of the way.

How do you monitor fatigue in the workplace?

Incorporating a combination of control measures into general workplace systems, as well as control measures specific to the work, can help to minimise more than one contributor to fatigue. For example, increasing the amount of time between shifts and adjusting shift starting times may improve the opportunity for sleep.

What is fatigue management policy?

Purpose. Workforce Extensions recognises its moral and legal responsibility to provide a safe and healthy work environment for all workers. The purpose of this policy is to establish the requirements for managing fatigue.

Is fatigue a form of impairment?

Fatigue — the state of feeling very tired or drowsy — is a common form of impairment in the workplace. When workers are fatigued, it can increase the risk of incidents and injuries to themselves, other workers, and members of the public.

What is the main cause of fatigue?

Most of the time fatigue can be traced to one or more of your habits or routines, particularly lack of exercise. It's also commonly related to depression. On occasion, fatigue is a symptom of other underlying conditions that require medical treatment.

What is fatigue risk management?

A Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS) has been defined by ICAO as "a data-driven means of continuously monitoring and maintaining fatigue related safety risks, based upon scientific principles and knowledge as well as operational experience that aims to ensure relevant personnel are performing at adequate levels of ...

What is fatigue in performance appraisal?

It's what happens when a rater gets tired of rating an Appraisal, and may hurriedly rate elements on an Appraisal form. Rater Fatigue can affect an individual's Appraisal score, by providing a disingenuous and possibly inaccurate reflection of actual performance.

Does fatigue mean?

Fatigue is a feeling of constant tiredness or weakness and can be physical, mental or a combination of both.

What is a fatigue risk management FRM program is used for?

An FRMS consists of organizational processes and procedures to control fatigue risk in aviation operations. An FRMS is a data-driven and scientifically based process that allows for continuous monitoring and management of safety risks associated with fatigue-related error.

What is Frms aviation?

Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS)

This is done by limiting the number of hours aircrew can work and specifying the minimum rest time which is required before the commencement of each flight duty period.

What fatigue feels like?

Fatigue is a term used to describe an overall feeling of tiredness or lack of energy. It isn't the same as simply feeling drowsy or sleepy. When you're fatigued, you have no motivation and no energy. Being sleepy may be a symptom of fatigue, but it's not the same thing.

What are the 3 types of fatigue?

There are three types of fatigue: transient, cumulative, and circadian: Transient fatigue is acute fatigue brought on by extreme sleep restriction or extended hours awake within 1 or 2 days.

What are the four types of fatigue?

She listed six types of fatigue: social, emotional, physical, pain, mental, and chronic illness.