Unfit for work

Competition is stiff in the corporate rat race. Ambitious employees raring to get ahead often perceive medical leave to be a liability. They’ll attend the office even if they’re feeling unwell as to do otherwise could lead to precious work hours being lost and missed deadlines.

Some bosses and HR will applaud this resilience. And certainly in the short term, reducing medical leave will be positive for a business’s bottom line. But working while unwell can take a heavy toll on those staff that fail to rest – which can lead to productivity losses not just for the individual but also those around them.

Costs of presenteeism

Presenteeism is defined as reduced productivity due to health conditions. It’s much more difficult to measure than its opposite, absenteeism, but its impact, according to Australian health insurer Medibank Private, is far more prevalent. According to its 2007 research, 53% of Australian staff take one or more days off over a typical four-week period. But 77% also attended work while suffering with a health problem during the same timeframe.

Many believe that presenteeism is even more costly than sick leave. “Those who are ill and still choose to be present at the workplace may infect others working with them,” Wong Kwee Lian, Senior Director, HR, The Regent Singapore says. “This may increase total medical costs and lost man-days.” Medibank Private’s research found that between 2005 and 2006, presenteeism cost the Australian economy some US$27.5 billion.

Productivity also takes a hit, and not just with the individual concerned. “If the condition is not dealt with properly, it may cast a negative influence on productive employees,” Wong says.

Preventative measures

Preventing sick employees from attending the office or exacerbating their condition through continued work efforts is easier said than done. Experts say it involves a significant mindset change for both employees and their bosses. Staff need to know that medical leave is available when they need it, and bosses need to consider leave applications as genuine far more often than is presently the case.

A survey by the UK Chartered Society for Physiotherapists found that three in ten managers believe that employees who call in sick citing neck, back, shoulder or spinal problem are actually well enough to be at work. At the same time, the survey also found that one quarter of UK workers are concerned that they might lose their jobs or be made redundant in the future if they take sick leave.

This problem is further compounded where employees have little or no sick leave – a common predicament among contract and part-time workers. These individuals will normally show up for work regardless of their health status as any absence will be felt directly on their personal purse strings.

Nipping it in the bud

HR can reduce the impact of presenteeism at the workplace by keeping a look out for some tell-tale signs of sickness or workpressure to contribute “face time” in the office.

Agricultural biotechnology company Monsanto actively asks sick employees who turn up for work to head home. All employees are also issued with laptops and have the flexibility to work from home upon such request, Evalou Marirose Catindig, People and Process Support Manager, Monsanto says. At The Regent Singapore, employees who are unable to get sick leave are advised to take normal leave. Weekly off days and rest days can also be moved to allow these employees to rest properly, Wong says.

Of course, prevention is always better than cure. With this in mind, companies can offer corporate wellness programmes that encourage employees to lead healthier lifestyles. Regular health checks as well as one off measures such as influenza vaccinations can also go a long way in maintaining employee health.

HR should also keep in mind that employee health can fluctuate between good years and bad years. As such, many organisations allow their employees to carry over some or all of their unused sick leave into the next year.

There in body only

Presenteeism does not have to be limited to pure health issues alone. A growing number of HR professionals also include employees who show up for work but are too demotivated to produce any real results in their presenteeism data. Reasons for this can include job dissatisfaction, stress and unresolved personal issues.

Such behaviour can be detrimental to organisations as it means that the person is only meeting the bare requirements of the job, Tan Hwee Hoon, Associate Professor, Organisational Behaviour and HR, Singapore Management University says. “Being present in person is not enough,” she says.

Demotivation is a tougher problem to solve as it can be attributed to a number of reasons. For example, the job is not meeting both the “intrinsic” or “extrinsic” needs of the individual, Tan says. Intrinsic motivation comes from the job itself – is it interesting or challenging enough? Extrinsic motivation, meanwhile, is determined by the consequences of the job like salary, benefits and work environment.

Tan advises HR to work closely with line managers to get a good feel of the ground. For example, high turnover with a certain group of employees could be an indication that the ones left behind are not happy as well, she explains.

Wong says HR needs to be open about any demotivation problem and work with staff to build a solution. Such a plan should be documented and monitored throughout its progress. “If those demotivating factors go beyond the control of the employer, employees should be told honestly that they need to overcome them, so that their performance at work is not affected,” she says.

The underlying problem could be also be related to the employee being inadequately skilled to do a job. Those who lack training should be given an objective assessment of their skills sets and knowledge, says Wong. The training manager can then come up with a development plan to address training gaps.