Office ‘troopers’ who work while ill may could be less productive than …

  • Workers 'present in body but not in mind', says study
  • 'Presenteeism' could be twice as big a problem for businesses as sick days

By
Gavin Allen

Last updated at 10:23 AM on 18th November 2011

Office 'troopers' who attend work when ill may actually be less productive than those who take more sick days, new research suggests.

While sitting at your desk with a runny nose and cough may seem like dedication to some, it may not always be the best option, according to the study from Concordia University in Canada.

The research, published in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, coins a new term for working while sick; Presenteeism - the opposite of absenteeism.

Presenteeism: People who attend work while ill may actually be less productive then colleagues who take more sick days, suggests new research from Canada

Presenteeism: People who attend work while ill may actually be less productive then colleagues who take more sick days, suggests new research from Canada

Gary Johns, who led the study, said that while lots of research has been conducted into the cost and impact of sick days - because it is easier to measure - little has been done to investigate the impact of presenteeism.

'Presentees felt a compulsion to attend despite illness,' says Johns.

He argues that presenteeism can lead to a situation where people are present in body but not in mind and spirit, and are therefore unproductive.

'Estimating the cost of absenteeism is more tangible than counting the impact of presenteeism,' said Mr Johns.

'Yet a worker's absence — or presence — during illness can have both costs and benefits for constituents.'

So why do people feel compelled to attend work while ill?

Johns concludes that for some people it
is due to a lack of job security, while others in certain team or
care-based jobs feel pressure not to let others down.

Double the trouble: The 444 people surveyed revealed an average of 1.8 sicks days in a six month period, compared to three presenteeism days

Double the trouble: The 444 people surveyed revealed an average of 1.8 sicks days in a six month period, compared to three presenteeism days

Carers and people working in early education, for example, reported higher rates of presenteeism compared to people from other fields.

But job security played a large part in the decision-making process.

'Secure employees don't fear retribution for an occasional absence because of sickness,' said Mr Johns, a management professor at Concordia's John Molson School of Business.

'Often, a person might feel socially obligated to attend work despite illness, while other employees feel organizational pressure to attend work despite medical discomfort.'

The research, published in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, covered a six-month period covering 444 workers.

It revealed an average of three 'presenteeism' days compared to an average of 1.8 absenteeism days, most of which were attributed to illness.

That means presenteeism could be almost twice as big a problem for businesses as sick days.

'Respondents who viewed absenteeism as more legitimate reported more absences, more sick days and fewer presenteeism days,' said Mr Johns.

According to this and previous studies, presenteeism is more frequent when people face job insecurity and impermanent job status.

Absenteeism, however, is more elevated in unionized work settings or when unemployment is low.

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