The recent studies from Morneau Shepell and GCC show that Employees and Employers see the work absence differently. There are two major problems in the area of workplace absenteeism: Absenteeism and Presenteeism
Absenteeism can most easily be understood as when employees are not working at all and have taken a day of absence from the workplace
Presenteeism – the phenomenon where employees show up for work but don’t perform at full capacity
Employees are more likely to see presenteeism a serious issue than absenteeism, and employers are more likely to see the reverse. Employees and Employers also differ on their top recommendations to address workplace absenteeism more effectively.
| Top Employee Recommendations | Top Employer Responses |
| Treat staff better/improve morale | Better documentation/monitoring/following through |
| Provide flexible working hours or reduced workload | Better Human Resources support or early intervention |
| Provide Extrinsic rewards such as incentives or rewards | Better management |
Most experts and research institutions like GCC and Morneau Shepell believe that the employees are closer to their own rationale for absence. GCC’s report shows the cost of presenteeism to businesses also was 10 times higher than absenteeism. Absent workers cost employers around USD $150 billion per year, but those who came to work and were not fully productive cost USD $1,500 billion per year.
According to Shepell’s report, more than 8 in 10 employees self-report experience with presenteeism which was related to the following issues:
- Workplace Stress;
- Illness related to workplace stress;
- More stress caused by presenteeism and absenteeism;
- Lack of organizational health and wellness support
Conclusion: “We need to stop talking about how many sick days people are taking and focus our energy on what they’re doing when they’re actually at work,” Dr, David Batman, GCC’s chief medical office insists that “and being more tuned in to the wellbeing of employees is not only good business management, it is good for people too.”
(Better Lounge for Better You: We are dedicated to bringing Health and Happiness to workforce.)
