Billions of dollars in lost productivity is a result of a new phenomenon called presenteeism, according to a recent report in the Harvard Business Review. Is your company losing out too?
Presenteeism refers the employees who go to work ill when suffering from the flu, cold, depression or other ailments. Those employees impact productivity and actually spread illness. They sense, whether from their employer or from the tough economy, they will suffer a personal loss to their perceived reputation if they don’t come to work. Call it the ‘good trouper’ mentality.
Although the study cites physical illnesses, workplace conflict is also a factor. Who hasn’t taken a ‘mental health day’ when faced with work tensions or a difficult co-worker or boss. It’s common for employees to avoid conflict until it escalates to a level that seems unmanageable. Feelings of frustration and helplessness grow so large employees become what I call MAW- Missing at Work. Their bodies are present but their minds
