The never-ending parade of emails, not to mention texts and notifications from social media sites, all of which are now widely used for work-related communication, is also disrupting our sleep. I recently read Arianna Huffington's The Sleep Revolution, which paints modern professionals (not just in the U.S., but around the world), as sleep-deprived, bleary-eyed individuals inching toward nervous breakdowns, and largely blames the epidemic on the overuse of technology. “Our houses, our bedrooms – even our beds – are littered with beeping, vibrating, flashing screens,” she wrote. “Even when we're not actually connecting digitally, we're in a constant state of heightened anticipation. And always being in this state doesn't exactly put us in the right frame of mind to wind down when it's time to sleep.”

Later in the book, Huffington suggests a few ways to distance yourself from technology in the evening: Cut off electronic device use 30 minutes before bed, don't sleep with your smartphone or tablet on the nightstand, and if a device does creep its way into your bedtime routine, use it to play a guided meditation or soft music. These practices are lofty goals for those addicted to technology, but worth the effort for the sake of one's health, and even for businesses' bottom lines. According to a Harvard study cited by Health.com, sleep deprivation costs the U.S. economy $63 billion each year and employers about 7.8 days' worth of work annually.

Today's workers are not only working after hours, they're skipping out on the vacation time they've earned. As CU Times reported in the July 18 article, “3 Reasons Why Employees Don't Take Vacation,” the number of vacation days taken by Americans has dwindled to 16 days, according to a Project: Time Off survey. It also found 55% of American workers left vacation days unused in 2015.

One reason why workers aren't taking vacation is the prevalence of vacation shaming – co-worker-induced feelings of shame or guilt associated with taking time off. According to the article, a survey from Alamo Rent a Car found 47% of workers are affected by vacation shaming, and 42% of those think their co-workers are seriously shaming them even if they present their comments as jokes.

Not everyone can afford to jet off to Bali, but taking a straight week or more of vacation – even if the time is spent close to home – is essential to restoring one's physical, mental and emotional health. And that boosts productivity when it's time to get back to work. Managers at credit unions and other organizations should ensure employees are taking their earned vacation time and discourage comments that lead to shame for doing so.

As not-for-profit cooperatives that make their members' financial well-being a priority, credit unions are naturally focused on employee wellness initiatives. The $567 million, Moline, Ill.-based Vibrant Credit Union, for example, opened a 24-hour onsite gym in an effort to boost employee health and happiness. And it worked: According to an internal employee survey at Vibrant, 74% of employees plan to stay at the credit union for their entire career, and 85% of Vibrant's workforce is under 40.

Treating employees well when they're on company turf is important, but so is valuing their time away. A recent NPR report noted employers need to do more than rely on a wellness program to cut employee stress, such as bring in temporary workers to cover for regular workers who desperately need time off.

If organizations, including credit unions, want employees on board for the duration of their careers, they should certainly give them challenging projects, reward them for their hard work, and implement camaraderie-building programs onsite. But they should also give them sufficient time to unplug.