The Conundrum of Presenteeism – Too Much Pressure?
Most organizations now have written policies on absence management – but how well these are communicated to employees or how well managers actually manage sickness absence is another matter. Yet an understanding of absence management and an appreciation of its cost to the business is only half the story.
What is ‘Presenteeism’?
‘Presenteeism’ is spoken about much less than sickness absence, and anecdotally it seems to be less understood as a concept. One way of looking at ‘presenteeism’ is the scenario of an employee being present at work whilst mentally or physically unwell or notably below par.
The generally accepted definition of presenteeism as being the act of employees attending work while ill does not capture the true nature or scope of the phenomenon of presenteeism.
We prefer to use an alternative which defines presenteeism as being “Reduced productivity at work due to health problems or other events that distract one from full productivity.”
A View on the Impact of ‘Presenteeism’ – Professor Cary Cooper
Professor Cary Cooper, Professor of Organisational Psychology and Health at Manchester Business School and President of the CIPD, has been increasing our understanding of organisational psychology for many years. At the last CIPD conference, Cary Cooper said that presenteeism is the biggest threat to UK productivity. His view that “workers coming in and doing nothing is more dangerous for the UK economy than absenteeism,” is a salutary warning given that the UK ranks sixth out of the G7 nations for productivity.
The Cost of ‘Presenteeism’
Research shows that the annual cost of presenteeism is twice that of absenteeism – a staggering statistic. The CIPD Absence Management Report shows that “‘presenteeism’ is more likely to have increased where long working hours are seen to be the norm and where operational demands take precedence over employee well-being”.
Tackling the Wider Implications
Given the link between presenteeism and its relationship to increased absence for other causes, we need to look far more holistically at well-being – that means ensuring that there are ways for employees who are below par, physically and mentally, to feel comfortable about taking time off to get well and that people actually take their holidays.
We are currently seeking an Occupational Health Advisor (OHA) in Lancashire and Occupational Health Advisors (OHA) in Birmingham & Kidderminster.
COPE Occupational Health Services Limited is an equal opportunities employer.
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