Research carried out by business psychologists Robertson Cooper has found that a quarter of 37,000 people surveyed have gone to work while ill. While presenteeism is a complex issue, a growing number of people feel compelled to turn up at the office when they are too ill to work, and should be at home.
The research also showed that:
- Only 50% of workers surveyed reported good health
- The remaining 50% described their health as 'alright' or 'poor'
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26% took no sick leave at all over the last 3 months, regardless of their state of health
- 51% of those in the 'good health' group reported productivity of 90% or above, compared with only 38% in the 'alright or poor health group'
Professor Ivan Robertson, managing director at Robertson Cooper, said: "Presenteeism in the workplace has a number of causes, one of which is related to feelings of job insecurity. Recently, this is likely to have been inflamed as a result of the recession."
Robertson added: "To prevent presenteeism, managers should reward people for the work they deliver, not the hours they put in. Investing in the health and wellbeing of workers pays dividends in terms of improved employee engagement and productivity. And it delivers considerable savings over and above those caused by driving down absenteeism."
Robertson Cooper is calling for a national debate on how businesses can find the right balance between absenteeism and presenteeism.
