Presenteeism – the pressure employees feel to be ‘present’ at all times while working – is pervasive within UK workplaces. Research we undertook after the end of lockdown revealed that 35 per cent of UK adults continued to work while feeling unwell in the previous 18 months, 22 per cent of those working from home reported working longer hours and 20 per cent felt their working day was more stressful than before. Not only does this pressure have serious and negative effects on employees, it also comes at a cost for employers. Combined with leavism (the improper use of leave) and absence, it’s costing employers up to £45bn each year according to Deloitte.
Workplaces and working patterns have shifted. Some employers have had to implement, at short notice, dramatically different working practices and evaluate their effectiveness.
Every employer has different needs, and there are some businesses for whom working patterns simply can’t or won’t change. But there is an opportunity for employers and employees to work together to create new ways of working.
Presenteeism has changed throughout the pandemic, especially for people working from home. According to Atlassian, the hours worked by employees around the world have gone up during the pandemic. But the lived experience of this is very different. While some employees experience less accountability and micromanagement, others are being closely monitored and tracked through technology. In some senses, the issue of absenteeism got better with fewer employees taking sick days, but the number of people working while unwell rose, and the challenge of showing presence through technology and always being available grew. For many, working from home brought the pressures of their daily lives at home much closer to those experienced at work. In every situation and working pattern, the issue of presenteeism pervades, especially if employers fail to build the culture that counterbalances it.
Tackling presenteeism requires a top-down approach and a workplace culture that encourages healthy behaviours. Brave leadership will be required and leaders will need to be setting a good example. Leaders can be the living, breathing example of positive and productive working, set within a framework of trust. Line managers have a vital role to play in ensuring that the approach, culture and decisions made by leaders are felt and implemented with the right essence across the organisation. Their 1-2-1 interactions with those they manage are an essential gauge of employee sentiment, mental health and need for more support.
With the CBI estimating that businesses will suffer through labour shortages for the next two years and the Great Resignation being much talked about, employers face the challenge of the tension between retention and presenteeism. Are employees feeling the pressure to be present every day going to be content and stay in their current role? In this conflicting environment, there are other ways employers can show employees that they care and support them. In addition to the training on being exemplary leaders, providing reassurance to employees by making it clear what is expected, and building a culture of trust, employers should review the wellbeing benefits they offer employees. Having support services in place means that employees and their families who need additional help can access mental health support, virtual GPs, get fit programmes and expert financial and legal guidance. This gives employees what they need and removes the pressure on line managers to provide all of the support directly. Usage of our own support service WeCare shows that the most popular uses are GP appointments, mental health support and second medical opinion. Driving the use of these services is then critical to success.
When it comes to what’s next, there are very diverse opinions on what the future could look like. Right now, we’re in a period of time where there’s an opportunity for employers to explore, test, and learn. Ultimately, we have the chance to create a much better world of work for many. Increased flexibility; more balance, the opportunity to choose where you are most productive, to name a few. But employers need to be brave, communicative, and understand what they and their employees need in order to do great work. This is the moment to revolutionise how people feel about work and to make great leaps in reducing the pressure to be present and increasing productivity going forward.
