There are differing interpretations of presenteeism, but the general consensus is that it involves being unproductive at work due to illness. In other words, being present but having a similar impact to being absent. Research shows that people are significantly less productive when unwell and can also be a hazard to others by passing on infection, or to the business by making mistakes. According to a 2016 report by the Institute for Employment Studies organisational pressure to achieve more with less may be contributing to presenteeism.
A study revealed that “40% of employees perceived pressure from senior managers, line managers and colleagues to come to work when unwell”
Decisions on whether to be present or absent are rarely simple as there are many factors both organisational and personal which come into play including:
- Individual professionalism where absence has an actual or perceived direct impact on others, including colleagues.
- Manager behaviour as role-models, where high manager presenteeism = high employee presenteeism.
- The influence of work culture and ethics where taking time off with sickness is a sign of underperformance and perfect attendance is a sign of loyalty. Physical and mental illness is perceived different in the workplace and could lead to different behaviours.
In some cases, the illness might never warrant being at work, such as something highly contagious or a psychotic episode. For other types of illness, individuals may feel well enough to work from home or to cover urgent calls from home.
Currently, there is no standard or widely agreed method of measuring the cost of presenteeism. One individual may not consider themselves to be underperforming due to illness or stress, another might think the opposite. Ideally good management/staff relations will facilitate the measurement. Staff who trust management will be honest when asked about illness, physical or mental and the impact on productivity.
It comes back to a prerequisite that still isn’t addressed enough in organisations: well-trained managers, role-modelling appropriate behaviour and having effective and honest conversations with staff.
