Undesirable behaviors at work—like extended breaks or even theft—pose significant costs to organizations. New research demonstrates that just one night of poor sleep can accelerate such actions. These behaviors often arise from unchecked selfish impulses, where self-control falters. Most people resist urges like leaving early without notice and feel remorse if they succumb, avoiding repetition. Yet, poor sleep impairs self-control, prompting researchers to investigate its direct link to workplace misconduct.
To explore this, researchers surveyed 100 working adults via daily text messages over 10 days. Participants reported their perceived sleep quality from the previous night—not quantity—and any undesirable behaviors that day, such as prolonged lunch breaks or snapping at colleagues.
Analysis confirmed that suboptimal sleep quality predicts heightened unethical conduct the following day. Individuals engaging in such behavior were far more likely to repeat it after a bad night's sleep, creating a cycle that perpetuates misconduct.
Notably, reactions varied by 'moral identity'—a psychological trait measuring how central qualities like kindness and honesty are to one's self-image and desire to be seen as ethical. Those prioritizing moral traits less showed stronger tendencies to err repeatedly after poor sleep.
