Here in body but not in spiritÖ

Tim Ablett, Chief Executive of FirstAssist, explores the latest threat to business and employee productivity, ípresenteeismí

Todayís focus on reducing levels of absenteeism has given birth to a new trend which is creating equal if not more damaging consequences to a businesses bottom line - presenteeism.

But just what is this new plague spreading across the UK workforce? The overriding definition of presenteeism is íthe feeling that one must show up for work even if one is too sick, stressed or distracted to be productive; the feeling that one needs to work extra hours even if one has no extra work to do. We could justifiably argue, therefore, that presenteeism is the opposite of absenteeism.

The term was coined by Cary Cooper, a professor of organisational psychology and health at Manchester University. According to Cooper, The phenomenon of presenteeism is another dangerous symptom of the explosive degree of pressure in the workplace.

From pressure is borne stress, which is now one of the largest causes of employee absence in the UK. According to the British Occupational Health Research Foundation, 17 million days absence were attributed to work related stress last year, more than twice as many as caused by workplace injury. The direct cost of lost working days is estimated at around 11.6bn, but one risk management company is estimating that the indirect costs could add up to as much as 33bn. Add to this the fact that the World Health Organisation predicts that mental illness will become a leading global problem, second only to heart disease, it is little wonder that presenteeism has become a very real threat to businesses.

And as an aside but not to be forgotten, as a country in a state of ífull employmentí, a sense of insecurity is growing amongst employees who are increasingly reluctant to stay away from work for fear of how it might affect their position.

Counting the Cost
Research conducted across the globe confirms the negative impact of presenteeism. A study by Cornell University Institute for Health and Productivity in the U.S. reported that work slowdowns caused by illness on the job, accounts for up to 60% of an employer health costs. Whatís more the study went on to show that for some common conditions, such as allergies and headaches, on-the-job productivity losses may account for more than 80% of the employerís total health care costs. And there is growing evidence linking mental illness to decreased productivity. One U.S. study* found depressed workers averaged 1.8 hours of unproductive time in a regular eight-hour day.

So where does this leave us? A year ago, I was reported in this very same publication to say that legislation was putting a greater emphasis on employers to reduce sickness and absence. This has since been exacerbated with the introduction of the very real threat of financial penalties for non-compliance with the new Health and Safety Executive stress and absence management requirements and the 2004 Disability Discrimination Act.

Also, within recent months, we have seen the introduction of industry and Government initiatives that have been focused on making return to work and rehabilitation a fundamental part of the employee management process. Whilst these steps in themselves are vital they arenít really tackling the causes behind absence. Indeed, the TUC suggested the tough new measures created to combat absenteeism are forcing people to work when they are genuinely sick and any program that offers incentives for good attendance could contribute to the growing issue of presenteeism. Together we need to find a way to balance the crackdown on absenteeism, so as to avoid pushing up levels of presenteeism and operating an underperforming workforce.

Prevention is better than cure
There remains a fundamental need for businesses to put in place a proactive employee risk management strategy which focuses on creating a positive environment that cultivates a happy, healthy and motivated workforce. With so many aspects to presenteeism, employers need to consider a range of solutions. Forward-thinking employers have already introduced positive health and wellbeing including pre-employment screening and advice, Line Manager health awareness training, health checks and promotions for all employees and low cost access to fitness facilities. This is all set in a culture of positive health where the employee is empowered to take responsibility for their own wellbeing. The employerís role is to provide easily accessible advice, guidance and, where relevant, practical support such as access to physiotherapy or making reasonable adjustments to help people back into the workplace after a period of absence.

Many employers, who recognise that performance and wellbeing go hand in hand, are also now embracing wellbeing audits, early intervention absence management services and 24/7 access to expert medical, counselling and lifestyle advice through Employee Assistance Programmes. This can be particularly helpful for those experiencing ëcopingí difficulties, which manifest themselves in anxiety and depression, and accounts for at least 30% of all absence. These difficulties a factor of modern day life, but the NHS simply does not have the resources to provide early access to the right sort of help.

Confidentiality is key
Businesses must arrange programmes so that they are totally confidential for the employee. That said, they must identify those cases where the problems are generated in the workplace through excessive work demands or bullying and harassment. These can be addressed through Line Manager education and the setting of positive health performance targets around levels of attendance, stress related absence and employee satisfaction.

Nurturing Assets
People really are the greatest asset in most businesses and nurturing them is at the heart of commercial success. Those employers who promote a sense of working smarter and healthier rather than harder and faster and who employ positive health and wellbeing strategies, will help staff create a positive work-life balance. And however hard it is to break the long hours culture, bosses should show leadership by taking responsibility for their own work-life balance and by respecting that of their employees. Over-time should be discouraged and the importance of lunch breaks and annual holidays promoted. By creating a positive health culture, businesses stand to gain from a healthy and motivated workforce, which will in turn reduce both absence and presenteeism issues and improve business performance.