Managing Presenteeism in the Workplace

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1. Introduction Employee’s health is directly influence work behavior and employee performance, so companies attempt to encourage employees to maintain and promote employee health in order to avoid the cost produced from health problem. Although most companies promote employee healthy workplace, many companies still are suffered from employee absenteeism and presenteeism. Presenteeism is more interesting and hot topic in the workplace. Presenteeism is defined as employees attended to work while sick both from physical or mental health conditions, so those employees unable to work at the normal rate or full capacity. In addition, the study showed that presenteeism can cost greater than absenteeism because unproductive workers come to work due to their sickness (Toten, 2014). According to Sunlife Financial, presenteeism generates four times cost more than absenteeism in terms of hours lost (Reyes, 2014). In fact, it is difficult to measure presenteeism unlike absenteeism (The problem with presenteeism, 2013) because it is difficult to measure the cost of unproductive performance due to sickness. In contrast, the cost of absenteeism is more predictable; HR can predict the cost when employees do not show up to work cost for substitute employee and cost of lower company productivity. Sometimes, presenteeism may be considered an act that inspiring admiration from colleagues when employee present at work while sick, however, many people also view presenteeism as negative action in the organization because it leads to productivity loss. In addition, it increases high risk of illness transmission to other employees with can increase health care cost eventually (Toten, 2014). 1.1 The problem statement Presenteeism becomes a critical issue... ... middle of paper ... ...earch, 9(6), 1-14. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/873821090?accountid=12917 Reyes, S. (2014, January 13). Presenteeism: the One Thing Worse than Absenteeism. In Tribehr.com. Retrieved May 8, 2014, from http://tribehr.com/blog/presenteeism-the-one-thing-worse-than-absenteeism The problem with presenteeism (2013, December 5). In Personel Today. Retrieved May 8, 2014, from http://www.personneltoday.com/hr/the-problem-with-presenteeism/ Toten, M. (2014, January 28). Sick at work: presenteeism costs more than absenteeism. In workplaceinfo. Retrieved May 6, 2014, from http://www.workplaceinfo.com.au/human-resources-management/work-life-balance/sick-and-at-work-presenteeism-costs-more-than-absenteeism 10 ways to reduce the threat of ‘presenteeism’. (2013, January). HR Specialist: Compensation & Benefits, 8(1), 1-2. Retrieved May 6, 2014, from EBSCOhost.

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