While it is commonly recognised that sickness absence or absenteeism can have a negative impact on the business, lately there has been a growing shift towards ‘presenteeism’.
The term presenteeism is applied when employees show up for work while feeling unwell or unable to function effectively. Although they may be physically present, they are unable to operate at full capacity due factors ranging from illness and stress to wider relationship issues – and the problem is more common than you might think.
According to a survey by Aviva UK, workers are three times more likely to struggle into work than take the sick leave they need. In fact, just under seven out of 10 private sector staff – the equivalent of 18 million nationally - admitted to having gone into work when they should have taken the day off due to illness.
The problem is that this state of affairs is not only damaging for employers in terms of lost productivity, but it also poses risks for the health and wellbeing of their employees too, not least in terms of stress.
The financial costs can be crippling as well. The American Productivity Audit calculates that the cost of presenteeism in the US amounts to more than $150 billion, with other studies estimating that it costs up to 10 times more than absenteeism.
Presenteeism is particularly commonplace in companies that have an ‘always on’ culture, in which long working hours are the norm and getting the job done is considered more important than employee wellbeing.
But unlike absenteeism, presenteeism is often extremely difficult to detect – or indeed accept – as employees still show up for work as normal. The fact that they feel pressurised to do so even when they are ill is a reflection of the working culture of many countries, and indicates that some organisations are failing to put their employees’ health and wellbeing at the top of the agenda.
While many staff assume that going into work while ill is a good thing, in reality, doing so tends to have adverse effects into the longer-term. This is because, ultimately, people are less productive, work quality tends to suffer and they take longer to recover. So what can line managers do to tackle the situation?
Policies
Take a close look at your company’s sick leave policy. Strict rules on working hours may discourage employees from taking time off when required and can actively encourage presenteeism by making them feel they have little choice but to turn up for work. To overcome this challenge, always be supportive if people need to take time off work and encourage them to do so.
Workloads
Demanding jobs and hefty workloads can cause employees to become stressed or over-burdened. As a result, it is important for managers to recognise signs of stress and adopt positive working practices such as engaging with your team, encouraging open and honest discussion and keeping an eye out for changes in behaviour or appearance. Try to listen to each individual’s needs and restructure workloads if they are struggling. It will all help towards boosting morale and can radically change people’s perception of their employer.
Work/life balance
Focusing on your employees’ work/life balance is also vital for their wellbeing. Even encouraging them to take small steps such as taking breaks away from their desk or workstations will help. Also make sure they do not send emails outside of work hours and take their full holiday entitlement so they can completely switch off.
Nurturing wellbeing
There are a number of additional ways in which employers can support the wellbeing of their staff. For example, Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) provide individuals with confidential, one-to-one advice over the phone to help with challenging personal situations that could cause their performance at work to suffer or affect their general health and wellbeing.
Health screening plans, where employers refund 100% of the cost up to an annual total, dependant on the agreement and the level of cover that the employee chooses, can also be beneficial as can 24-hour doctors’ advice services. As it is not always convenient for staff to speak to a doctor during work hours, advice lines provide them with the option of speaking to a qualified practitioner at any time of the day or night.
Many employees assume that their employers fail to value their health and wellbeing, but in reality their physical and emotional wellness is vital if a happy, productive and profitable workforce is to be maintained. Therefore, it is imperative not only that employers acknowledge staff members can never be at their best 100% of the time, but that they also take active steps to discourage the curse of presenteeism.
Kevin Rogers is chief executive of not-for-profit health cover provider, Paycare. A qualified accountant and associate member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, he has worked for more than 25 years in senior management roles at organisations in the manufacturing, automotive and construction sectors.
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While it is commonly recognised that sickness absence or absenteeism can have a negative impact on the business, lately there has been a growing shift towards ‘presenteeism’.
The term presenteeism is applied when employees show up for work while feeling unwell or unable to function effectively. Although they may be physically present, they are unable to operate at full capacity due factors ranging from illness and stress to wider relationship issues – and the problem is more common than you might think.
According to a survey by Aviva UK, workers are three times more likely to struggle into work than take the sick leave they need. In fact, just under seven out of 10 private sector staff – the equivalent of 18 million nationally - admitted to having gone into work when they should have taken the day off due to illness.
The problem is that this state of affairs is not only damaging for employers in terms of lost productivity, but it also poses risks for the health and wellbeing of their employees too, not least in terms of stress.
The financial costs can be crippling as well. The American Productivity Audit calculates that the cost of presenteeism in the US amounts to more than $150 billion, with other studies estimating that it costs up to 10 times more than absenteeism.
Presenteeism is particularly commonplace in companies that have an ‘always on’ culture, in which long working hours are the norm and getting the job done is considered more important than employee wellbeing.
But unlike absenteeism, presenteeism is often extremely difficult to detect – or indeed accept – as employees still show up for work as normal. The fact that they feel pressurised to do so even when they are ill is a reflection of the working culture of many countries, and indicates that some organisations are failing to put their employees’ health and wellbeing at the top of the agenda.
While many staff assume that going into work while ill is a good thing, in reality, doing so tends to have adverse effects into the longer-term. This is because, ultimately, people are less productive, work quality tends to suffer and they take longer to recover. So what can line managers do to tackle the situation?
Policies
Take a close look at your company’s sick leave policy. Strict rules on working hours may discourage employees from taking time off when required and can actively encourage presenteeism by making them feel they have little choice but to turn up for work. To overcome this challenge, always be supportive if people need to take time off work and encourage them to do so.
Workloads
Demanding jobs and hefty workloads can cause employees to become stressed or over-burdened. As a result, it is important for managers to recognise signs of stress and adopt positive working practices such as engaging with your team, encouraging open and honest discussion and keeping an eye out for changes in behaviour or appearance. Try to listen to each individual’s needs and restructure workloads if they are struggling. It will all help towards boosting morale and can radically change people’s perception of their employer.
Work/life balance
Focusing on your employees’ work/life balance is also vital for their wellbeing. Even encouraging them to take small steps such as taking breaks away from their desk or workstations will help. Also make sure they do not send emails outside of work hours and take their full holiday entitlement so they can completely switch off.
Nurturing wellbeing
There are a number of additional ways in which employers can support the wellbeing of their staff. For example, Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) provide individuals with confidential, one-to-one advice over the phone to help with challenging personal situations that could cause their performance at work to suffer or affect their general health and wellbeing.
Health screening plans, where employers refund 100% of the cost up to an annual total, dependant on the agreement and the level of cover that the employee chooses, can also be beneficial as can 24-hour doctors’ advice services. As it is not always convenient for staff to speak to a doctor during work hours, advice lines provide them with the option of speaking to a qualified practitioner at any time of the day or night.
Many employees assume that their employers fail to value their health and wellbeing, but in reality their physical and emotional wellness is vital if a happy, productive and profitable workforce is to be maintained. Therefore, it is imperative not only that employers acknowledge staff members can never be at their best 100% of the time, but that they also take active steps to discourage the curse of presenteeism.
Kevin Rogers is chief executive of not-for-profit health cover provider, Paycare. A qualified accountant and associate member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, he has worked for more than 25 years in senior management roles at organisations in the manufacturing, automotive and construction sectors.
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Four tips to ensure effective flexible working
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