How to stop presenteeism hurting corporate clients

We have been researching this topic for the past three years, revisiting the same key questions to build a longitudinal picture of trends in the UK workforce.

The picture we are seeing develop is not one that fills us with confidence; in fact, we have seen no improvement across our studies.

In 2017, nine in 10 (89 per cent) employees say they have come into the office while ill, compared to 89 per cent in 2015 and 90 per cent in 2016.

The Stevenson Farmer report published in October 2017, 'Thriving at Work', estimates the cost of presenteeism caused by poor mental health to employers is £17bn to £26bn a year, far more significant than the estimated £8bn cost of absenteeism each year.

So why are employees so insistently eschewing their sick beds? The reasons do not come as a surprise, and they do not paint a picture of a workforce which is entirely comfortable with the connection between health and productivity.

Advisers need to be at the forefront, using their knowledge and influence to position it appropriately in the minds of decision makers and purchasers.

Heavy workloads (34 per cent), financial concerns (22 per cent) and feeling guilty for taking time off (12 per cent) are all commonly cited.

Worrying statistics

Taking time off also has negative connotations for the individuals themselves, with employees fearing they will be seen as lazy (14 per cent), weak (17 per cent) or inconsiderate (14 per cent) if they take sick leave.

In fact, only one in five (20%) respondents thought the decision to stay away from the office while they are unwell would be viewed as sensible by their organisation.

There are obvious productivity issues with coming to work while sick, though – 69 per cent of employees said their performance at work is impaired when they are ill according to research we conducted in 2016.

The individual loss of productivity aside, there is also the risk of illness spreading around an organisation if a contagious colleague brings an infection to work with them. Nearly three quarters (73 per cent) of staff say they have become unwell as a result of a colleague’s illness.

But why on earth does any of this matter to an adviser? It’s an issue that employers clearly need to be aware of.

Consider that more than half of employees (53 per cent) suggested they would come into work with a stomach virus – despite displaying symptoms of nausea and diarrhoea – and it’s obvious that far too many organisations are cultivating an unhealthy attitude to recuperating away from the office.