Like “absenteeism” it can have a range of effects on your employees and workplace operations. Late last year, our Hawke’s Bay HR consultant Georgia Rogers examined the meaning and effects of absenteeism. Today, let’s look at its close relative, “presenteeism”.

The definition of presenteeism in the workplace

Presenteeism is when employees are physically present but not wholly functioning due to illness, stress or other distractions. This can include situations where employees come to work despite being sick, thus lowering their productivity and potentially spreading illnesses to colleagues. Presenteeism can be more challenging to identify and address as it is less visible than absenteeism but can be equally, if not more, detrimental. This should be a concern to all businesses, regardless of the size.

To differentiate them, absenteeism is when an employee is regularly absent from their job. This can be due to various reasons including illness, personal issues or disengagement from work. While occasional absenteeism is unavoidable and often legitimate, chronic absenteeism can indicate deeper problems such as health issues, workplace dissatisfaction or inadequate work-life balance. If left unaddressed, it can have long-term consequences on an organisation’s culture and reputation, as explained in Georgia’s article.

How can employers address presenteeism?

Firstly, let’s recognise that some situations require compassion and acknowledgement that employees will not be operating at full capacity, for instance, when an employee grieving the recent loss of a loved one or wrestling with a serious family illness or a difficult break-up. This article is more about employees who are working while unwell or who are chronically “checked out” of their role.

To quote the “father of management”, Peter Drucker, “culture eats strategy for breakfast”, so developing and implementing a healthy workplace culture is paramount. This could include:

Promoting a work-life balance: Encourage employees to maintain a healthy balance between their work and personal lives. This can include flexible working hours, remote work options, and ensuring employees take their allotted annual leave time.

Fostering a supportive environment: Create a workplace culture that supports employees who are dealing with personal or health issues. This can involve providing access to mental health resources, employee assistance programs, and regular check-ins.

Training managers to be aware: Coaching managers on identifying the early warning signs of presenteeism can help reduce its occurrence

Encouraging sick leave: Promote a culture where employees feel comfortable with using sick leave when they are genuinely ill, rather than soldiering on, or getting used to simply taking unofficial sickies to avoid tricky processes. This can prevent the spread of illnesses and ensure that employees return to work when they are well and productive.

Developing and sustaining positive workplace cultures: Whereby employees want to be at work and want to be productive and make a difference. Encouraging communication is one key area.

Providing meaningful work: Employees who feel they have a purpose, whose values align with their employer’s values, and who feel they’re doing meaningful work are more likely to remain engaged and fully present at work.

Reviewing workloads: An overwhelming workload can wear down employees and see them checking out mentally and emotionally or even burning out. You could liken it to running – a measured pace will enable completion of a marathon, whereas a “sprint” can only be sustained for so long. If an employee is operating at “sprint” level for an extended period, you may need to reallocate tasks or provide additional resources.

Thinking outside the square regarding employee benefits: Businesses who boast high employee engagement usually have innovative employee benefits available such as volunteering programmes, sabbatical leave, personal and professional development opportunities, wellness programmes and more. Such initiatives go over and above permitted “duvet days” for rest, or birthday leave – although if either of these isn’t something you offer, then introducing them is a great starting point.

Note that while a healthy workplace culture can also help address absenteeism, additional or other strategies may be required.

How presenteeism can affect workplaces and teams

Organisations that don’t address high absenteeism and presenteeism run the risk of their leaders losing their credibility with high-performing, engaged employees. There is truth in the saying “people don’t leave jobs, they leave managers”. Higher performers want their leaders to tackle these matters because the usual fallout from absent or disengaged colleagues often requires them to pick up the slack, potentially leaving to burnout or at worst resigning themselves.

Understanding presenteeism and absenteeism, and their respective impacts on the workplace, is crucial for effective management. Both require tailored strategies to address the underlying causes and promote a healthier, more productive work environment. By fostering a supportive culture, encouraging work-life balance and addressing health and stress-related issues proactively, organisations can mitigate the negative effects of both and presenteeism and absenteeism, leading to a more engaged and efficient workforce.

And let’s face it – issues that relate to employees can be complex and an outsider’s perspective can be invaluable. Our Hawke’s Bay, Auckland and Taranaki HR advisors are well-versed in employment relations, workplace leadership and skills development, and we can give you the tools to improve “people and culture” outcomes in your workplace. Get in touch today if you’d like our help!