Presentee-ism is more prevalent than absenteeism and is tougher to identify and control. It has been estimated that the average worker operates at only 65-70% of his or her potential. Staff who suffer from presentee-ism come to work but are not productive because they feel sick, are injured, stressed or distracted. They are present, but not actually “there”. Lost productivity due to presentee-ism is on average 7.5 times greater than productivity lost to absenteeism.
Presentee-ism not only hurts employee productivity, it has a direct impact on a company’s bottom line. In the USA, a recent study by one of the nation’s leading health improvement service providers found that presentee-ism costs employers more than $180 billion annually in lost productivity.

Presentee-sim sufferers may have legitimate reasons to be absent, but often feel they have to go to work to be seen. They tend to believe that visibility improves their chances of keeping their job and getting a promotion in the future. In reality, they risk infecting their colleagues with their illness, or de-motivating them by their attitude and fatigue. Solving the problem of presentee-ism isn’t a clear-cut process. However, knowing that it exists in the first place and ensuring employees have work-life balance is a step in towards overcoming the problem.

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