The doctor has recommended rest to cure my health problem, but I absolutely need to go to work and finish my report otherwise it will be late! Almost everyone has experienced a time when they went into work while they were unwell. Most of the focus on working while sick, also known as presenteeism, has been on loss of productivity and high costs for employers. But what if presenteeism can have some positive aspects that are overlooked? For instance, what if working while sick could help employees maintain a level of productivity, and reduce anxiety over falling behind at work? What if the choice to work while sick can help them to stay meaningfully involved with work and ease their return to work? In their 2019 paper, Karanika-Murray and Biron propose 4 types of presenteeism and discuss how these 4 types are impacted by an employee’s internal capacities and work resources.
Legend : Recommendation from our expert
Experts
- Maria KARANIKA-MURRAY, associate professor, Nottingham Trent University, UK
- Caroline BIRON, Full Professor, Université Laval, Director, Centre d’expertise en gestion de la santé et de la sécurité du travail and Research. Centre de recherche en santé durable VITAM, Quebec, Canada,
Editors
- Kimberly SHARPE, research assistant, University of British Columbia
- Marie-Élise LABRECQUE, research professional, Université de Sherbrooke
This initiative was made possible through a collaboration with the Université de Sherbrooke.
What do we mean by:
Presenteeism
The standard definition is working while sick. The authors further define presenteeism as an adaptive behavior that seeks to balance health and performance in the workplace.
It is adaptive because it serves a purpose for workers who show up despite illness. This choice is motivated by individual (e.g. guilt, financial problems, personality) and work-related factors (e.g. work overload, not wanting to let down colleagues, getting positive feedback from supervisor).
Internal capacities
The mental, physical, or physiological resources available as determined by the health condition. They help set the boundaries of what presentees (employees who work while sick) can do when they have impaired health and are specific to that health condition for that employee at that time.
Work resources
Workplace assets that presentees can draw on to support them when they are working through illness. They help define the type of presenteeism by providing employees with the flexibility to make the most of their internal capacities and adjust to performance demands.
A workplace with adequate and relevant work resources (for the specific employee at that specific challenging time) can help employees stay at work and maintain a certain level of performance without deteriorating the health problem, and even contribute to the recovery of full capacities.
Examples: social support from co-workers or flexible work arrangements that allow presentees to work from home.
Complete reference
Karanika-Murray, M. & Biron, C. (2019). The health-performance framework of presenteeism: Towards understanding an adaptive behaviour. Human Relations, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726719827081
Method
The authors draw on existing literature and academic theory to propose 4 types of presenteeism for acute or chronic and non-contagious illnesses and to describe the role of internal capacities and work resources in adapting to presenteeism.
What are the findings of the study?
The authors propose 4 types of presenteeism:
1. Functional presenteeism
The optimal adjustment to balancing health constraints and performance demands – a level of productivity is maintained while recovery is supported
- Availability of internal and external resources are key for maintaining performance because they allow employees to adjust their performance at work, while maintaining or improving their health.
- Sustainability is achieved because employees work within their available resources.
How can I access the full article?
Already have an account?
Access the full scientific interpretation
