Presenteeism

Presenteeism is when employees go to Work despite being ill. The costs of presenteeism are currently estimated to be higher than those associated with illness-related absence and absenteeism. A frequent cause of presenteeism is a fear of being made redundant. Overwork due to a misplaced sense of motivation also plays a role.

When employees turn up for work despite being ill, there can be numerous ramifications for the company:

• Staff not working to their full capability can result in higher error rates and accidents
• Infections can spread inside the company
• Allowing illnesses to linger can result in longer periods of illness and absence
• Over the long term, consequences can include circulatory and chronic musculoskeletal complaints

Measures that employers can take to combat presenteeism include encouraging employees to be aware of their health and wellbeing, improving occupational health and safety and offering healthcare options. Employees should make use of healthcare options and enhance their work capabilities through continuous training, for example.

The opposite of presenteeism is absenteeism.