There's an epidemic running rampant in the workplace, and if you just close your eyes, you'll know what it is.

A survey from Ceridian LifeWorks, a wellness/EAP program unit of consultant Ceridian, found that more than 30% of human resource leaders have witnessed or heard about a co-worker falling asleep on the job in the past six months. All told, the sleep deficiency epidemic is robbing corporate North America of $63.2 billion a year in lost productivity, according to Harvard University researchers.

The Ceridian survey also found:

• 35% of respondents said sleep deficiency had negatively affected productivity;
• 31% either witnessed or heard about an employer falling asleep on the job in the last six months;
• 33% who schedule shift work said they factored in a good night's sleep in their scheduling;
• 21% said their scheduling flies in the face of “human circadian rhythms,” which does not promote good sleeping habits;
• 60% don't offer tools and services to support good sleeping habits;
• 35% is the average number of respondents reporting sleeping on the job, but that dropped to 28% when companies offered supporting services for good sleeping habits;

“A good night of sleep is vital for engaged, productive and healthy employees,” said Estelle Morrison, vice president of Ceridian LifeWorks. “While businesses make expensive investments in programs and technology to boost productivity, this survey reinforces the need for companies to take seriously the issue of sleep deprivation and promote healthy sleep habits in the workplace.”

To produce its report, “Workplace Wake-Up Call: Pulling Back the Covers on Sleep Deficiency,” Ceridian extracted information from some 700 human resources managers in North America.