Presenteeism
A somewhat
new term, presenteeism refers to employees
attending work while too sick or out-of-sorts
to be productive. Examples of ailments that
cause presenteeism include illness, allergies,
mental illness, family problems, and more.
This term is a complement to absenteeism,
which is when employees stay home from work,
usually because of illness. Although presenteeism
as a term is new, the concept and existence
of the practice has been around for much longer.
However, it is only recently that it has been
studied and the effects have been given dollar
amounts.
By virtually all accounts, presenteeism costs
employers substantially more than absenteeism.
In fact, according to a 2004 article on CNN.com,
presenteeism costs employers an astounding
$180 BILLION every year. The reason for this
cost is lost productivity. Rather than stay
home and improve their health, employees come
to work but don’t actually work, reducing
productivity and possibly extending the amount
of time it takes them to recover from their
ailment. Because they are sick, these employees
are slower to complete tasks but are still
paid the same amount as if they were healthy,
and also retain paid sick days (if applicable).
Plus, one employee coming to work ill can
spread the sickness to other employees, perpetuating
the cycle of presenteeism and absenteeism.
The burning question that remains for employers
is: how can I prevent presenteeism? The answer
to this question lies in the motivation behind
presenteeism, namely fear of lost wages, rising
costs of medical care, and fear of being fired,
among others. To reduce possible presenteeism
among your employees, make it clear that they
need not fear staying home when sick. Speak
with them about medical costs, and make it
clear that you will not penalize them for
staying home when sick or for familial reasons.
Consider offering paid sick days, and tell
them to come to you if they have any concerns.
A PEO can advise you on how to delicately
approach presenteeism. Further, using a PEO
often reduces worry about health costs because
PEOs can provide significantly lower
rates for health insurance.
Once your employees feel more secure in their
jobs and wages, presenteeism should be significantly
reduced.
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