

Employee wellness has always played a part in employee engagement, productivity, and overall success. But given the current circumstances—namely Covid-19, the worldwide pandemic that’s thrown every person and company for a loop—it’s more important than ever. With anxiety and depression levels on the rise since the outbreak, this is a moment for managers and leaders to step up, promote resilience, and look out for their employees.
There are many ways to support an employee’s well-being and measure their overall engagement and happiness. Here we look at absenteeism and presenteeism to understand why these two workplace issues are key indicators when measuring employee wellbeing, actionable steps managers can take, as well as a few stand-out examples of companies rising to the challenge.
Absenteeism and presenteeism, though often grouped together, are two very different issues most managers will have crossed paths with at some point in their career.
Absenteeism is defined as unplanned employee absences; in other words, when employees call in sick, have to deal with family emergencies, can’t find a babysitter, or other similar situations. Of course, we’re all human, with lives outside of work; managers should realize this and expect (and plan for) at least some level of absenteeism on their team.
Presenteeism, on the other hand, is when employees are present at work, but they’re not doing their job or being productive. This occurs when employees decide to work even when they are sick or don’t feel 100%. Presenteeism is hard to quantify because, while employees show up for work, and might even outwardly look fine, underlying health issues might be driving down their motivation and productivity.
While some managers are obsessed with calculating and managing employees’ absence rates, with a yearly cost of $150 billion in the US, presenteeism is the real sleeping dragon between the two.
Remember, absenteeism to some degree can be expected in the office. However, if you notice abnormally high rates or trends among your employees, these factors among others might exacerbate the issue:
Presenteeism, on the other hand, can be sparked by having very few or no paid sick days, heavy workloads, high employer expectations, or a demanding workplace culture. Employees feel like taking time off is not an option and normalize coming to work at 75% capacity (or less).
While the definitions of and causes behind absenteeism and presenteeism are quite different, these two issues do share a common thread: The end result is a loss of productivity.
As you might’ve already noticed, the factors listed above are more likely to have come up when working during a pandemic, meaning employees probably have higher rates of both absenteeism and presenteeism.
“Today, Americans are reporting more symptoms and signs of depression, anxiety, and fear than historic norms,” according to a Healthline article based on research from YouGov’s COVID-19 tracker.
Where does that leave managers and leaders? What steps can they take to help curb absenteeism and presenteeism and the resulting loss in employee productivity?
As managers and leaders become more aware of presenteeism and absenteeism in the workplace—and of the debilitating effect they can have on employee wellbeing and overall productivity—many companies are making moves to improve their employee experience and combat the factors that increase absenteeism and presenteeism. Here are a few real-life examples of companies making it happen today.
What works for one company may not work for another. While it’s great to get inspiration from real companies implementing changes in today’s working landscape, it’s important to look inward at your own team to identify their pain points and then find the best solution for them.
Absenteeism and presenteeism have always been workplace issues managers and leaders should’ve been aware of, but with the heightened sense of job insecurity, overall stress, and uncertainty enveloping much of today’s workforce, it’s more important to tune in now than ever.
These issues feed directly into overall employee happiness and wellness, which in turn, feeds into your team’s capacity and productivity. Though absenteeism and presenteeism might not have seemed like big concerns in the past, the difficult times we’re living in warrant a deeper look into both.
Facing tough times, businesses can either sink or swim; and while there are no guarantees, being resilient is certainly a step in the right direction. If you haven’t started yet, it’s time to take a deeper look at presenteeism and absenteeism within your own office and teams, understand what that means for you, and make the necessary changes now.
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