We’ve all heard the mantra: the early bird catches the worm. For generations, waking up before dawn has been held up as the ultimate sign of discipline and grit, as well as a harbinger of future success. Yet as workplaces evolve, so too must our understanding of what drives productivity. What if the idea that early risers are inherently more successful is nothing more than a cultural myth?For Josh Hart, co-founder and CTO of YuLife, this isn’t just theory. In a recent conversation, he argued that businesses need to reconsider the way they think about sleep, productivity, and performance, and avoid stigmatising colleagues who may simply have different biological needs. The truth, he says, is that sleep patterns are deeply tied to one's biology and wellbeing, not laziness or personal failing. And ignoring that fact could be costing organisations in both talent and output.Sleep isn’t weakness - it’s biologyThis debate is personal for Josh, who needs lots of sleep and grew up being told that staying in bed made him lazy. “I had a stepfather who was always on at me for not being up early,” he recalls. “I was one of those teenagers who could sleep all day. Even now, I can fall asleep almost anywhere.”This lived experience sparked him to write a LinkedIn post on why businesses must rethink their bias toward early risers, because it could mean that they're not utilising some of their best talent. Sleep, Josh argues, is not a matter of willpower. “It’s not laziness - it’s biology. Some people function better early, others later. It’s simply how their bodies work.”From circadian rhythms to brain chemistry, sleep patterns are largely outside of our control. The problem, as Josh sees it, is that companies often treat sleep as a character flaw rather than a physiological fact.Understanding the stigma around sleep in business cultureHustle culture has long glorified those executives who thrive on little rest, both in real life and in popular entertainment. Sleeping in is often branded as weakness, and the corporate world typically equates long hours and early mornings with stronger commitment.Josh believes this cultural bias is outdated and ultimately harmful. “The early bird narrative basically tells a group of people that they’re not worthy of success if they don’t work that way,” he says. “But they don’t have a choice. Their body is behaving as it’s designed.”During the pandemic, Josh found himself experimenting with afternoon naps and found that they had a big effect on his productivity. “It made me more effective over the course of the day,” he says. It’s a reminder that the quality of rest matters more than when you wake up.Collaboration vs. individual energyIf sleep is so personal, then why do companies still enforce rigid schedules? For Josh, the answer lies in collaboration. Businesses want people working at the same time because shared hours help accelerate progress. Being physically present together - or even online at the same time, if working remotely - can build energy, creativity and trust across a team.But the reality is that these set hours don’t reflect individual energy cycles. “You might have five people in a room, all at different stages of tiredness,” Josh explains. “That’s not a recipe for peak productivity.”This creates a tension: collaboration really does matter, but so does individual wellbeing. Josh sees the need for a middle ground. “We need people to be present together at certain times, but we also need to respect that not everyone’s at their best then,” he says. His vision for the future is a workplace where individuals can sleep and work at the times best suited to them, and where AI might help fill in some of the collaboration gaps. “Imagine if I could collaborate with you through an AI trained on your thinking,” he suggests. “We wouldn’t have to be awake at the same time to get things done.”Flexibility and core hoursSo how do we balance collaboration with personal rhythms? Josh advocates experimenting with core hours rather than defaulting to the age-old 9–5. “Maybe 10–4 is when people need to show up and be truly present,” he says. “And outside that, people can adapt to what works best for them.”There are trade-offs, of course. Later core hours may inconvenience early risers, and vice versa. But Josh suggests handling this at a team level. “Each group should optimise around its own people. A stand-up should happen at the time that suits that specific team best,” he said.Managing for the whole personFor Josh, the issue is ultimately bigger than sleep. It comes down to how managers understand and support their people. Too often, he says, managers don’t invest enough time in really listening. “A good manager will spend 30–45 minutes every week really listening to each individual,” he explains. “Without that, people won’t feel fully understood or supported.”Sleep is just one example of how individuals differ. The bigger challenge is recognising those differences and adapting leadership styles accordingly. “It’s less about sleep and more about the holistic individual, who they are, why they work the way they do, and how to support them.”Why this matters for wellbeing and productivitySleep is a personal health matter, but in an organisation it’s also a business strategy. If companies continue to reward only early birds, they risk burning out talent, missing out on their creativity, and undermining their organisation's overall performance.“If you want your people to innovate and perform, you have to respect their rhythms,” he says.The corporate world has been slow to let go of the sleep myth, but Josh believes that’s changing. As hybrid work, flexible hours, and wellbeing strategies gain traction, businesses have a chance to redesign their expectations and recognise that sleep diversity can unlock energy and productivity that rigid schedules often suppress.The early bird might catch the worm. But in the modern workplace, the night owl might be the one who keeps the whole system flying.