A good night’s sleep can be an important part of overall wellbeing. For organisations operating in fast-paced, safety-critical environments, supporting employees to understand sleep, rest and recovery can form part of a broader approach to workplace wellbeing.
For international engineering firm Dornan Group, sleep became an area of focus following internal feedback highlighting challenges among its workforce. In response, the business decided to explore ways of helping employees build their understanding of sleep and recovery.
A conversation between Magdalena Widawska, Head of Wellbeing at Dornan, and Claire Neal, Workplace Mental Health Specialist at CiC Wellbeing, identified an opportunity to provide employees with additional information and practical strategies around sleep.
In March 2026, Dornan introduced a tailored online sleep programme as part of its annual wellbeing campaign. Designed with the working patterns of employees in mind, the session explored topics relevant to engineering environments, including irregular shift patterns, remote site working and international travel.
Fifteen employees took part in the two-hour group coaching session, facilitated by an occupational psychologist. The format encouraged open discussion, combining professional insight with practical, relatable examples.
Participants explored some of the factors that they felt affected their sleep, including parenting pressures, difficulty unwinding and inconsistent routines. They were also encouraged to discuss approaches they had personally found helpful.
Each attendee set individual goals to trial over a two-week period. The group subsequently reviewed their experiences together, with participants also receiving a take-away workbook to support continued learning.
Magdalena reflects on the experience:
“The programme generated a great deal of interest, and feedback was extremely encouraging. It struck the right balance between professional guidance and practical application. Just as importantly, it helped people realise they weren’t alone in their challenges, which built motivation and accountability.”
Participant feedback collected as part of the programme indicated positive changes across a number of self-reported measures. Among those assessed, reported:
- daily energy levels increased by 27%
- positive mood increased by 18%
- stress levels decreased by 13%
- sleep quality increased by 8%
These figures reflect self-reported outcomes among participants in this specific programme and should not be interpreted as guaranteed results for other individuals or organisations.
Claire highlights the thinking behind the initiative:
“Sleep and fatigue are important considerations within employee wellbeing, particularly for organisations with demanding or varied working patterns.
“What Dornan has done is take a proactive approach to the subject. By giving employees access to practical information and creating space for open conversations, the programme has helped make sleep and recovery part of its wider wellbeing conversation.”
Dornan has made employee wellbeing an important part of its approach to supporting its workforce. With regular employee feedback and a broader programme of wellbeing initiatives already in place, the sleep pilot represents another element of that work.
The partnership with CiC Wellbeing is also set to continue evolving.
Magdalena adds:
“From the outset, there was a strong alignment in values and approach. CiC Wellbeing brought both expertise and a collaborative mindset, which made the process seamless.
“We’re seeing greater awareness of self-care and mental health across the business. Building on this, we’re keen to expand our work together and explore further opportunities to support our people.”
Watch Dornan Engineering's story here.
