Do You Suffer From 'Presenteeism' at Work?
Have you ever been unwell but went to work anyway? If so, you're not alone. Showing up to the office when you're sick is known as presenteeism. It's a difficult problem to measure, but it seems to be on the rise in some countries.
For example, a UK study by the health insurance company Vitality found that 45% of workers said they suffered from presenteeism in 2019, compared to 29% in 2014.
The types of conditions people are going to work while suffering from include allergies, arthritis and back pain, or mental health issues such as depression. These people show up wanting to work, but just can't give 100%.
You might think that with more people having the option of flexible hours or working from home due to COVID-19 that the problem would be reduced.
But a survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) suggests not. In fact, it found that rates of presenteeism were slightly higher for people working from home.
Of the 668 organizations that the CIPD surveyed in late 2020, 77% observed presenteeism among staff working remotely, compared to 75% who observed it in the workplace.
The same survey also found that 7 in 10 organizations also observed "leavism," where employees use their time off to catch up on work — which, along with presenteeism, can contribute to an "always-on" culture.
The CIPD advises that companies and organizations should be more strategic about improving employee well-being, preventing ill health, and supporting people when they become unwell. It argues that doing so will result in a more productive workforce.
"It's crucial for organizations to address any issues that could be creating a culture where staff feel they are expected to work when ill or feel it's the only way they can stay on top of their workload," it said.
Ways of doing this include training managers in ways they can support people's health and well-being, and including money in the budget for services that support employee's health.
