Presenteeism: when work becomes harmful

Working overtime, working while on maternity leave, working despite not feeling well – all this is presenteeism. Why it is harmful and how to avoid it, experts say.

At the heart of the phenomenon of presenteeism (from the English present – “present”) lies the gap between the time spent at the workplace and the quality of the work done. This issue was first brought to the fore by economists who found that, on average, the low productivity of an employee who goes to work feeling unwell costs the company 60% of its total health care costs (health insurance, examinations, sick leave). Gradually it became clear that the problem of presenteeism is much broader. And its root is in the very attitude to work.

Work while you’re alive!

In 2013, the story of Moritz Ehrhardt, a 21-year-old intern at a large bank, who died after three days of almost non-stop work, hit the news outlets. It turned out that regular overtime work is considered an unspoken norm for elite financial circles. Hard work for wear and tear (often with short breaks for sleep, and sometimes without them) becomes a kind of test of strength. After all, competition in this sector is especially high, and only a few will receive the “jackpot” – huge incomes and influence.

However, the practice that encourages presenteeism is in principle characteristic of Western business culture, which is results-oriented. “It is believed that the body of an employee is not related to business,” writes Jim Lauer, American psychologist, director of the Productivity Institute (USA). “Most companies don’t consider as a physical factor that people can be physically exhausted and that this can affect their productivity.”

“Presenteeism can be primarily associated with the corporate culture of the organization,” explains Ksenia Evtyukhina, a training specialist at Philips. – In some countries (for example, in Japan) it is not customary to leave before the boss, and if a company from this region enters the international market, then this rule applies to employees both at the headquarters and in representative offices around the world. The need to adhere to corporate culture can force employees to stay at work even when it is not necessary.

Does it make sense to work hard?

“After two hours of continuous work, our efficiency decreases,” warns French physician, author of the book “How to protect yourself from stress and succeed” (“Se protéger du stress et réussir”) Philippe Rode. – During the day, fatigue will accumulate, affecting our well-being.

There are problems with concentration, errors appear, productivity decreases. Feeling tired and “foggy in the head”, it is better to take a short break, ideally – take a walk for about 15 minutes in the fresh air, before starting work again. But even taking breaks, you can’t work 15 hours a day. Each of us has his own rhythm of activity, and there are no ready-made recipes. It’s important to find the time and energy distribution that’s right for you.”

In addition, the desire to be at work at all costs, ignoring alarm signals, in itself may indicate serious psychological problems. Thus, according to the American psychologist Eric Berne, the attitude to hard work without rest is part of the life script formed in childhood under the influence of parental prescriptions and prohibitions.

In this case, along with a constructive instruction (“Work hard”), the child often receives a destructive one (“Don’t relax”), and also, often using the example of parents, learns a way to bypass the instructions and free himself (for example, having a heart attack or earning a disability).

How to prevent presenteeism?

Recognize your responsibility

“No one has the right to impose guilt on you, especially your colleagues,” says coach Pierre Blanc-Sanoun. “You shouldn’t make excuses or try to leave unnoticed. Remember: you are not a small child who tries to sneak away at every opportunity.

Your tenure at work is determined by the labor code, your responsibilities, and your own self-esteem. And the last thing is especially important – if you have a clear understanding of what you are doing and what result it brings, it will not be difficult for you to answer any suspicions or reproaches.

Define boundaries

“For example, you can explain to your boss that by constantly being late after 20:XNUMX, you do not have time to recover and are worse at your job,” advises Philippe Rode.

“Questions about corporate culture that need to be asked at the interview stage help to avoid “forced” presenteeism,” suggests Ksenia Evtyukhina. “If the impression is that the employer tends to evaluate the process rather than the result, this is a clear sign of the prevalence of this phenomenon in the company.”

Engage in self-organization

“The lack of balance between work and personal life leads to general dissatisfaction with life, depression and anxiety,” comments Ksenia Evtyukhina. – In the end, it is unprofitable for the employer himself, because it will affect the performance. For a full life, it is important to devote time to hobbies, friends, sports. To do this, you need to learn how to manage your time, not take on an additional load, and correctly distribute tasks.

In turn, management must create a climate in which presenteeism is not considered the norm. If one of the employees is prone to presenteeism, it may be worth discussing it with him, understanding the reasons, thinking about forms of support such as coaching or mentoring.