Presenteeism problems: why showing up sick hurts everyone
A new report looks at how a health-led economy, syncing public health and industrial policy, could benefit workplaces in the UK and lead to better working habits
Workplace presenteeism, referring to embedded culture and values that result in employees coming into work despite being sick, is a growing epidemic. Management styles are often a significant cause of employee presenteeism – the emphasis they place on dedication to the job leaves employees feeling like they have no choice but to work through illnesses. Even if managers are not outwardly pushing for presenteeism, learned behaviours and unspoken expectations in the workplace can lead to this being sustained.
New analysis from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) confirms fears that presenteeism is on the rise. The Institute’s research warns that a loss of productivity amid ‘staggering’ levels of presenteeism has led to an increased hidden cost of rising workplace sickness of more than £100bn a year.
The price of unhealthy work
The UK is sick and getting sicker – this is the main takeaway from the research published by the IPPR in July 2024, which highlights that healthier work is in the best interest of business. When compared to other advanced economies, the UK is falling behind on treatable and preventable mortality, obesity rates, alcohol harm, incidence of chronic long-term illness, symptoms of anxiety and depression, cancer, dementia, and cardiovascular disease survival.
Linking back to the workplace, these health concerns can impact workers and employers in several ways, including more sick days taken, as well as reduced productivity among people working through their sickness.
The rate of decline in health is concerning not only on an individual level, but when thinking of business productivity, too. The IPPR estimates that if employees were as healthy in 2023 as they were in 2018, we would achieve gains worth £30 billion.
Image of IPPR analysis of working through sickness
Presenteeism is a huge factor when analysing these costs – the IPPR estimates that 83 per cent of these gains is from lower rates of employees adversely working through sickness. If addressed, this could translate not only to higher business revenue for organisations, but given the link between working through sickness and resulting long-term sickness, better population health outcomes, too.
Seeking solutions
The research proposed several approaches to addressing both health problems in the workplace and the issue of presenteeism. The main proposed solution, termed ‘health in all industries’, involves harmonising public health and industrial policy, and advocates for introducing a new wellbeing premium: providing significant tax incentives to companies that are creating the healthiest workplaces.
In its search for solutions to workplace health, the IPPR turned to several case studies to illustrate examples of initiatives that are ‘getting it right.’ Highlighted was the UK’s trial of the four day workweek, a six-month trial in which 61 UK organisations committed to a four-day working week with no drop in salary for employees. It was reported at the end of the trial that there had been a 65 per cent reduction in the number of sick days taken.
Another initiative highlighted was the Working Well Initiative launched by the John Lewis Partnership. Launched in 2020, this project aimed to address mental health and musculoskeletal conditions through early clinical intervention, and work towards fostering a healthy workplace culture. The financial year of 2020/21 saw John Lewis Partnership dedicate £21 million towards improving the health and wellbeing of its workforce and saw over 1,300 free occupational health services provided.
Read the full report here.
