New research from Bupa[i] has found that two-thirds (64 percent) of UK employees have gone into work within the last 12 months despite feeling unwell, and a third (27 percent) have ignored their doctor’s advice to stay at home. Contributor Adrian Lewis – Activ Absence. Presenteeism is a growing challenge for UK employers, which needs to be tackled because of the impact it can have on productivity and absenteeism. Adrian says, “While we have seen the average number of sick days people take in the UK drop significantly to 4.3 days per worker in 2016 compared to 7.2 in 1993[ii], presenteeism is on the rise as people struggle into work even when ill”.

This can not only mean that people spread germs to other colleagues who could then end up taking sick leave, but working when ill impacts productivity, which in the long run can have serious consequences for the business.

If people struggle into work sick it can mean they take longer to recover or make themselves worse, resulting in them having to take time off sick in the end. Employers keen to increase productivity, as well as keep a check on absenteeism levels in 2018 need to address the reasons behind this trend.

The Bupa research found that 20 percent of employees did not take leave because they had too much work on, while 26 percent did not want to burden their team with their absence. Meanwhile, 16 percent were worried people at work would not believe they were ill – 13 percent said they were reluctant to take time off because they were anxious about their job security.

Adrian Lewis says, “Presenteeism and absenteeism can seem polar opposites, but in my experience, they both arise from poor absence management practices and not understanding the causes behind them. If people are coming into work sick because they feel pressurised because of high workloads or fear of losing their jobs, employers need to know so they can address these concerns.

Equally, for those taking time off sick it’s important to understand the reasons why. It’s not about making people feel uncomfortable, but having the right technology in place to record absence, spot trends and ensure back to work interviews are carried out to give people a chance to speak about any issues they may be having.

Technology also aids flexible working practices by keeping track of who is working when and where. People shouldn’t come into work sick, so if home working is an option technology can make it easier to manage.

Uncovering the root causes and working with people in order to address any issues is key to tackling presenteeism and absenteeism in 2018. Using absence management software alongside best HR practices is the only effective way to do this,” adds Mr Lewis.

[i] https://www.professionaladviser.com/professional-adviser/news/3024266/majority-of-uk-workforce-went-to-work-while-unwell-in-2017-bupa

[ii] https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/labourproductivity/articles/sicknessabsenceinthelabourmarket/2016