Annastiina Hintsa: «Many People Are Paying a High Price»

Top executives who don't get at least seven hours of shut-eye every night risk not just their health, but underperforming at work, according to Annastiina Hintsa. The performance coach says Swiss banks are waking up to mental health and well-being – for strategic purposes.

Annastiina Hinsta, how are bankers comparable to Formula 1 drivers?

Both involve human high-performance under pressure over a longer period of time. The circus element surrounding Formula 1 – traveling from place to place on a crazy schedule – will also ring a bell for top executives in finance. You’re making decisions with wide-ranging implications when you’re jetlagged and are sleeping in different locations every night.

What sort of implications do you mean?

In our studies together with University of Loughborough, cognitive performance of top people in high-performance roles is significantly higher in the beginning of their work week, but declined steadily towards the end of it. For the control group, it was more steady fluctuation throughout week. The data shows that the primary driver is sleep, which is correlated to the duration of their work day.

Global finance is a 24-hour cycle though: there are 13 hours difference between Hong Kong and New York.

Yes, but it was still shocking for me to hear from senior executives that they consider it normal to get on conference calls in the middle of the night. Our recommendation is that if you keep doing that, you end up living in a constant state of jetlag that will have severe implications on your long-term health and your cognitive performance.

What does that look like in practice?

You’re impaired in your decision-making. When we’re tired we tend to shoot from the hip more. We ultimately believe if you’re not looking after yourself and feeling well and healthy, you’re not performing at the level that you could, even though you may be doing great now. Or alternatively, maybe you could still be performing at level you are now, but at lower personal human cost. A lot of people we talk to are paying a pretty high price.

Wouldn’t banks and HR departments prefer to ignore this personal toll?

I’d say there has been a change, even in the financial industry in Switzerland, in the last three years. Some firms are much more forward-thinking in this than one might expect, or even leading the way to an extent. Companies are seeing health and well-being not just as an human resources activity, but more as something strategic.

Why?

The primary reason is that we are now able to quantify the percentage decline. That appeals to finance, a numbers-obsessed industry.

Not getting enough sleep is almost a rite of passage for younger investment bankers.