Employees who report going to work whereas sick, a phenomenon referred to as presenteeism, could also be extra prone to miss work attributable to sickness sooner or later, in keeping with a longitudinal research of South Korean staff printed at the moment in BMC Public Well being.
Utilizing nationally consultant survey information from the Korean Well being Panel Examine, researchers analyzed responses from 4,180 wage staff aged 20 years or older from 2019 to 2022 to look at whether or not working whereas in poor health predicted later absenteeism.
The workforce discovered that, all through the research interval, presenteeism was constantly extra widespread than absenteeism. From 12.7% to 25.0% of staff reported going to work whereas in poor health in a given 12 months, in contrast with 8.6% to 12.3% who reported lacking work due to sickness.
Employees who had beforehand taken sick go away have been practically 3.5 occasions as prone to be absent once more within the subsequent survey wave
Additional evaluation confirmed that staff who reported presenteeism earlier within the research interval had considerably increased odds of being absent attributable to sickness later within the research interval. Staff who labored whereas sick had a roughly 30% increased probability of later absenteeism in contrast with those that didn’t report presenteeism (odds ratio [OR], 1.30).
Prior absenteeism was an excellent stronger predictor of future absence. Employees who had beforehand taken sick go away have been practically 3.5 occasions as prone to be absent once more within the subsequent survey wave (OR, 3.45).
Presenteeism might sign declining well being
To raised perceive the route of the connection between presenteeism and absenteeism, the researchers used a bidirectional mannequin to look at whether or not the 2 behaviors predicted one another over time. The evaluation confirmed that presenteeism considerably predicted later absenteeism, whereas absenteeism didn’t predict future presenteeism.
The findings counsel that working whereas in poor health might function an early sign of declining well being or worsening work capability. “Our findings help a temporally ordered affiliation during which prior presenteeism is adopted by increased odds of subsequent absenteeism,” write the authors. “Presenteeism continues to function a dependable longitudinal sign of future absence.”
The research highlights structural and cultural elements which will affect work attendance patterns in South Korea. The nation is one among just a few nations and not using a statutory paid sick-leave system, and office norms typically discourage taking day without work when in poor health.
The authors warning that the affiliation between presenteeism and absenteeism shouldn’t be interpreted as proof of causation. The connection between the 2 might replicate underlying variations between staff, similar to psychological well being standing and office tradition, reasonably than a direct impact of working whereas sick.
Even so, the researchers say monitoring presenteeism might assist employers determine staff at elevated threat for future absence and information interventions.
“From a public well being perspective, even a 30% improve in threat, when utilized to a big workforce, might translate into substantial cumulative prices associated to productiveness loss, healthcare utilization, and workforce sustainability,” write the authors.
“Importantly, in contrast to power illness standing or a previous historical past of absenteeism—each of that are much less amenable to short-term intervention—presenteeism will be focused by way of organizational-level insurance policies similar to paid sick go away, workload administration, and cultural change, making it a sensible entry level for preventive motion,” they conclude.
