Safety Update

Safety Update: Presenteeism vs Absenteeism

Presenteeism is the opposite of absenteeism. In contrast to absenteeism, when employees are absent from work, presenteeism addresses the difficulties related to employees attending work in spite of illness, which can have similar negative repercussions on work performance and ultimately on the health and safety of all workers. Presenteeism is the feeling that you must be at work even if you are sick or present in body but not in mind and spirit.

A report from Desjardins Financial Security in 2006 revealed that nearly two-thirds of Canadian workers feel so pressed by financial concerns, that they put work ahead of families, relationships, friends and their own health. This type of behavior has negative consequences. Sick workers perform well below capacity, in turn, creating more stress leading to depression. According to Statscan depressed workers average nearly two hours of unproductive time in an eight-hour day, pass their illness to others, and increase the likelihood of workplace illness and injuries.

So who's most at risk for presenteeism? Statscan reports that such job-related factors as those readily found in the service sector; hours of work, shift work and work stress, are associated with presenteeism and depressive traits. Depression is higher amongst evening and night workers than amongst those with a regular day schedule. In addition, presenteeism affects the service sector through the additional risks it poses for customers. Ill workers in service sector workplaces such as restaurants and hotels, may transmit germs through working with food or linens.

So who's most at risk for presenteeism? Statscan reports that such job-related factors as those readily found in the service sector; hours of work, shift work and work stress, are associated with presenteeism and depressive traits. Depression is higher amongst evening and night workers than amongst those with a regular day schedule. In addition, presenteeism affects the service sector through the additional risks it poses for customers. Ill workers in service sector workplaces such as restaurants and hotels, may transmit germs through working with food or linens.

Presenteeism in the workplace can be easily ignored and go untreated for a long period of time. It is important to avoid the trap of presenteeism as a worker and as an employer. Next week we will look at methods of measuring and understanding presenteeism and how to manage it.

The Topic for September 4th, 2008: Managing Presenteeism

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