Presenteeism

What is Presenteeism?

Presenteeism describes lost productivity that occurs when employees come to work but perform below par due to any kind of illness.

Why should I be concerned?

Presenteeism is a growing concern for employers and health professionals, having potentially catastrophic effects on both employee and organisational health, and presenting hidden long-term costs for employers.

It is estimated that presenteeism accounts for more than 80% of an employer's total health care costs, potentially a larger drain on productivity than either absenteeism or short-term disability. An employee who arrives at work despite illness may only operate at a fraction of his or her normal capacity despite requiring the same expenditure in wages, social contributions and taxes as employees operating at 100%.

"Research even shows that presenteeism may even be a stronger predictor of health than absenteeism."
Dr Zara Whysall, COPE Occupational Psychologist

Addressing Presenteeism

COPE recommends a three-staged approach for addressing presenteeism:

Assess the extent and potential causes of presenteeism
Design and implement interventions or strategies aimed at preventing or reducing presenteeism
Monitor and review

Our practitioners provide tailored evidence-based solutions for tackling presenteeism, which may include:

provision of personalised self-care guides for employees based on their symptoms and conditions
examination of absence management strategies, working time arrangements, and performance management systems
self-care training or health promotion activities for common presenteeism conditions
initiatives to tackle aspects of organisational culture (e.g. long-hours culture)