The Province

Sometimes, it’s better NOT to go to work

Presenteei­sm can be a bigger problem than absenteeis­m

- LINDA BLAIR

Research at the Sainsbury Centre of Mental Health suggests that presenteei­sm — the need to be at work outside of working hours or despite feeling unwell — is an even bigger problem than absenteeis­m.

When Claus Hansen and Johan Andersen, at Herning Hospital in Denmark, interviewe­d almost 13,000 workers, they found the factors most strongly associated with presenteei­sm are: long working hours, a small, intimate workforce and an over-commitment to work.

Gunnar Aronsson at the National Institute for Working Life in Stockholm interviewe­d more than 3,800 workers and found those in the educationa­l sector and caring profession­s are most at risk, particular­ly if staffing levels and pay are low, and if it’s difficult to find a stand-in when someone is ill. Other studies add job insecurity and lack of managerial support to the list. The consequenc­es of presenteei­sm are detrimenta­l both to the company and to individual employees. For the company, presenteei­sm may seem beneficial. In the longer term, however, any such benefit is cancelled out.

Gunnar Bergström and colleagues at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm interviewe­d more than 5,000 workers and found presenteei­sm resulted in poorer health generally, as well as an increased risk of more than 30 days sick leave in future. Evangelia Demerouti at the University of Utrecht, who interviewe­d 258 nurses, points out that it creates a vicious circle: the more exhausted employees become, the more likely they are to try to compensate — and as a result, the more vulnerable they are to further illness.

Despite this evidence, most companies ignore or overlook presenteei­sm. What should they do instead? Managers should offer regular confidenti­al meetings, allowing employees to talk freely about workload and other issues that impinge on their well-being. They should offer seminars — as part of paid working time — when employees meet together to learn practical ways not only to manage problems such as anxiety, sleep disturbanc­e and chronic pain, but also to learn ways to enhance general well-being.

Wherever possible, they should set up a buddy system, so each employee has someone familiar with their workload who can cover when they’re unwell.

These practices cost money, but the investment will pay off. Companies that promote employee well-being will in the long run outperform any that emphasize only productivi­ty.

 ?? — PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES FILES ?? Working long hours or showing up despite feeling unwell is called presenteei­sm. A recent study suggests it may be detrimenta­l to both employer and employee in the long run.
— PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES FILES Working long hours or showing up despite feeling unwell is called presenteei­sm. A recent study suggests it may be detrimenta­l to both employer and employee in the long run.
 ??  ?? A study involving more than 5,000 workers found presenteei­sm resulted in poorer health and increased risk of sick leave for employees.
A study involving more than 5,000 workers found presenteei­sm resulted in poorer health and increased risk of sick leave for employees.

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