Dumsor: Lack of sleep affecting workplace productivity

Workplace productivity in Ghana is currently declining due to persistent power outages known as ‘dumsor’.

Regular household activities and national productivity are among the concrete effects of this ongoing battle with power outages.

A lack of dependable electricity clouds everyday life for millions of Ghanaians, whether they live in crowded cities or isolated rural communities.

Due to its underlying supply chain problems and infrastructure constraints, this ongoing problem affects both households and businesses, affecting everything from basic amenities to economic stability.

Some angry Ghanaians claim that due to the power outages, it gets so hot that they cannot sleep at night. Having not slept the previous night, they arrive at the office and take a nap during business hours.

Workplace productivity suffers as a result. Speaking to JoyNews, some workers expressed their frustration regarding the power situation.

According to Lawrence, “The recent power outages have been a problem for me personally and even at work. At the moment, it’s impossible to catch a good sleep because you end up with no light hence the heat makes you uncomfortable. This also means that when I come to the office and find myself comfortable, I need to get some period to sleep which previously wasn’t the case. This has reduced my productivity at work because while I used to work on about 5-6 stories, I’m now used to working on 3-4 because in the end, you are also thinking about getting enough rest. I’m unable to get a well-ironed attire for work which leaves me in a tricky situation. At this rate, things are getting out of hand and it’s not funny anymore”.

Mubarak said, “Undoubtedly, ‘dumsor’ has been a major challenge for me and my family. As an office worker, it is highly prudent to be in official attire for work. How then can I look presentable without ironing my shorts and trousers? I’m a Muslim and I fast. During the Ramadan, there was a day the light was off throughout the night and getting hot water for tea was a problem. It’s unacceptable, not to talk about the unbearable heat in my room, which is discomforting. You then get to work and begin to nod off.”

“Having a long day at work, getting home and realising there’s a power outage is quite frustrating. As a normal routine for me and perhaps for every worker, I expect there should be light when I get home hungry and tired. I need light to warm my food, relax under my cooling fan and have a cool temperature in my room to have a good night’s sleep to prepare for work the next day but that’s not the case. The heat makes me go sit outside, falling prey to mosquitoes just [because] I want to have some cool breeze to dry my sweat. This obviously will lower my productivity at work because I’m not sleeping on time to wake up and prepare and come to work”, said Jacob.

“Due to the intensity of ‘dumsor’, it has become a common practice for me to take two baths during the night. Our fridges are suffering, our medications are suffering, our food supplies are suffering, and those selling ice water are also affected, productivity is reduced at the workplace. The hardship, combined with dumsor, has transformed the happy faces I used to see into rather sad ones,” stated Joseph.

As Karim puts it, “I can’t rest at all, especially during the weekend. When there is no light, I have to move somewhere that has light because I can’t bear the excessive heat at home. This happens more than three times on the weekend for long hours. With all these movements, I can’t rest during the weekend and come to work on Monday tired.”

‘Dumsor’ exemplifies Ghana’s energy issues, with frequent power outages negatively impacting daily life and economic prospects. Despite resilience, coordinated efforts are needed to address the root causes.

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Source: Myjoyonline

Samuel Ansong

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