Have you ever felt bogged down with a cold yet dragged yourself in to work out of a sense of obligation? It’s a situation that many of us have found ourselves in. In fact, one survey found that 76% of workers force themselves to go to work, despite feeling under the weather. The same survey found that 1 in 3 respondents felt they wouldn’t be believed if they took time off due to illness.
Predictably, showing up to work while feeling suboptimal does not make for a productive day. This gives rise to a phenomenon commonly referred to as “presenteeism”.
What is presenteeism?
Presenteeism refers to a scenario in which an employee attends work but they’re unable to function at their full capacity due to illness, poor mental health, or injury. Although the employee may be logged in or even physically present in the office, they are incapable of performing their day-to-day tasks to their usual level.
While these employees are trying their best, the cost of presenteeism for businesses is high. Research conducted by the Centre for Mental Health uncovered that presenteeism could be costing the UK economy approximately £15.1 billion per annum.
The sheer financial cost of presenteeism for businesses – in addition to its impact on the mental and physical well-being of employees – underlines just how crucial it is to address this issue. But first, it’s important to understand the signs.
How to spot presenteeism?
When employees are doing their best to put on a brave face, it can be difficult to know when presenteeism is occurring. However, here are some of the indications that it may be taking place:
- If an employee is feeling unwell, they will find it difficult to focus on the job at hand, and they are likely to make more mistakes than usual.
- You may notice that an individual exhibits a sense of apathy regarding the quality of their work or output.
- For a remote worker, you might find that they regularly avoid video calls.
- The employee in question might look more tired or stressed than usual.
How to tackle presenteeism?
Tackling the issue of presenteeism requires diving into the heart of the problem and understanding why employees feel the need to work through episodes of poor mental or physical health.
An attendance software company, Mitrefinch, conducted research that revealed that out of 44 European countries, the UK came in at seventh with regards to the lowest number of sick days in 2021, with an average of only 5.8 days of leave for sickness.
With the cost of living crisis looming over our heads, many are opting to work through sickness for fear of losing their jobs. However, to avoid falling victim to the substantial costs of presenteeism, businesses must be doing all they can to foster a workplace culture whereby employee physical and mental well-being are prioritised and respected.
Employers should schedule regular check-ins with individuals to talk about their workloads and remain supportive and understanding when employees ask for time off due to sickness. By doing so, companies can work to mitigate the risks of presenteeism and create a healthier and happier workplace for all.
