The sick are more likely to be in work

The sick are more likely to be in work

Workers are more likely to trail into work when sick than to take the day off, new research has shown. The study by The Work Foundation examined why employees attend work when unwell, with the think tank saying it also addresses a gap in UK data on sickness presence. It concludes employers may be under-estimating employee ill health and may be missing warning signals by focusing on absence alone. 'Sickness presence' or 'presenteeism' was more prevalent than absence, with 45 per cent reporting one or more days working when unwell and 18 per cent reporting one or more days absence over the same four week period. The study also found that those who had time off sick were more likely to work when ill. Overall, higher levels of sickness presence were associated with: lower levels of manager assessed performance; lower levels of self-reported psychological wellbeing; higher levels of sickness absence; higher levels of work related stress; experiencing personal financial difficulties; and higher levels of perceived pressure from managers and colleagues to work when unwell. Lead author of the AXA PPP commissioned report, Katherine Ashby, said: 'It is vital to explore the reasons behind sickness presence especially any work-related triggers that are adversely affecting the wellbeing of employees which could be addressed in the workplace.' A TUC poll published in March found within the preceding month, more than one in five public sector workers has been to work when too ill to do so (21 per cent). A further 41 per cent (compared to 36 per cent of private sector workers) had gone into work poorly when they should have stayed off sick within the last year, though not in the last month. (Risks 450).

The Work Foundation News release. Why do employees come to work when ill? An investigation into sickness presence in the workplace, The Work Foundation, April 2010.