Presenteeism describes attendance at work when an employee is unwell. They may feel like they have to attend work to meet the expectations of their employer, regardless of illness. This situation can be damaging to employees, but also detrimental to a business over time.
Presenteeism can relate to physical or mental health and typically affects an individual’s productivity and ability to work to their full capacity. This has a knock-on effect on commercial profitability and can also negatively affect a business’s reputation.
What is digital presenteeism?
Incidences of presenteeism are said to have increased in recent years, along with the number of professionals working from home - this is termed digital presenteeism. Digital presenteeism can be more difficult for employers to manage as they may not be fully aware of an employee’s state of mind or physical health when they’re working remotely.
If a culture of presenteeism does exist within a company, and it isn’t understood or addressed by the employer, it can cause long-term damage.
Why is presenteeism a problem?
There are many reasons why presenteeism is problematic for both employees and the organisation. In some sectors, such as financial services, a historic culture of unrealistic expectations and long working hours has allowed presenteeism to take hold.
Industry-wide uncertainty over job security has also made professionals cautious about taking time off work - making presenteeism a widespread problem. But here are just a few issues that this can create in the workplace.
Lowered productivity
When an employee is unwell, it’s unlikely that they’ll achieve their ‘normal’ levels of productivity, leaving businesses unable to reach their true potential. In some cases, this can lead to struggles when keeping up with competitors.
High cost to business
Deloitte reported that the cost to employers of mental health-related presenteeism amounted to £24-28 billion in 2021. This is around four, to four and a half, times the cost of mental health-related absenteeism.*
Along with reduced productivity, these costs can compromise the profitability and long-term success of an organisation.
Low morale in the workplace
When presenteeism exists, it can create a generalised low morale that spreads throughout the workplace - leading to disengagement by professionals who have lost motivation. They may simply ‘go through the motions’ at work, rather than fully engage and perform at their best.
Damage to employee mental health
Perhaps one of the most insidious effects of presenteeism is the damage to the individual’s mental well-being by continuing to attend work. Feeling obliged to work can lead to a slower recovery and additional stress, even if the problem is physical.
What can employers do about presenteeism?
It can be difficult to spot presenteeism in the workplace. But a good starting point to eradicate it is by raising awareness of what this is. This might include specific training for line managers and supervisors so they have a better chance of noticing the signs.
Empowering managers with the knowledge to recognise and act on presenteeism at work is fundamental to improving statistics. And changing workplace culture and making professionals feel they are trusted to act responsibly can transform the overall mood of the workplace.
Employer's duty of care
An ‘always on’ work culture, entrenched in long working hours and unrealistic expectations around employee availability, exacerbates the existence of presenteeism and creates longstanding issues for businesses.
It’s imperative that managers address these issues, engender trust, and encourage openness so that the workforce operates optimally. Crucially, individuals need to thrive at work rather than be forced to operate within an unhealthy culture that breeds fear and uncertainty.
Employers have a duty of care towards their workforce, so guiding employees towards a healthy work/life balance and encouraging them to take time to recover when they’re unwell is fundamental to eradicating presenteeism.
Additional resources
At Kaplan, we have many resources that you can use if you need support.
Many of our staff are mental health first aiders, and if you think you or anyone in your workforce could benefit from some of our well-being and mental fitness resources, visit our learner well-being page where you can find the relevant people to speak to for advice.
You can also get more advice by:
If you have any safeguarding concerns, please raise them by contacting our Safeguarding Team via safeguarding@kaplan.co.uk.
Learn more about Sharon McDougall and the work that Scotland Debt Solutions is doing.
*Deloitte, Mental health and employers report 2022