Employees suffering from presenteeism don’t always fit the ‘slacker’ stereotype. Motivated by fear of layoffs or the belief that their physical presence shows job commitment, some may even put in excessive work hours — even though this actually makes them less productive than co-workers who keep a more balanced schedule.

Research indicates that presenteeism is a bigger problem than absenteeism in terms of lost productivity, says Brown. “It’s about four times bigger than absenteeism in terms of hours lost,” she says.
 
Some experts say the problem may be even bigger. Different risk factors in the demographics of the workforce such as age, obesity and so on need to be considered in evaluating the prevalence of presenteeism, says Joseph Ricciuti, client solutions leader at Toronto-based Watson Wyatt Canada, a human resources consultancy. “The ratio of presenteeism to absenteeism can range from 2.5 to 8.6 times.”

The problem has grown particularly acute in the present economic downturn, says Karen Seward, senior vice-president at Shepell.fgi, a Toronto-based EAP provider. “Our call centre volumes have gone up about 20 per cent this year,” she says.

However, absenteeism rates haven’t changed significantly, she adds. “We expected to see a lot of people off work, but we’re seeing the opposite.”

People are staying at work even though they may need time off to deal with their issues because they fear losing their jobs, she explains. “If someone else can do their work for a period of time, then the implication is they’re not needed within the organization. But these workers spend a lot of their time at work worrying about their personal issues.”

The top three medical causes of presenteeism are depression, fatigue and insomnia, says Ricciuti. “The most frequent diagnoses and healthcare costs associated with presenteeism have to do with mental health,” agrees Dr. Robert Anfield, chief medical officer for disability at CIGNA, a Philadelphia-based insurance company.

However, the current economic downturn is only partly to blame for these increases. “The rates of depression have actually been climbing for the past eight years — it’s the number one cause of disability,” says Brown.

Stress is the common thread that runs through most issues with worker health and productivity, and the work environment is a key contributor. In a recent Canadian survey conducted by Watson Wyatt Canada, organizations were asked about the key sources of worker stress. The top factors cited were: excessive workload, lack of work-life balance, fear of job loss and technology that expands availability during non-working hours.

Health and family issues take their toll as well. In another survey conducted by CIGNA last year, about 61 per cent of U.S. workers said they’d reported for duty while they were sick or coping with family and personal matters. On average, they did this nearly seven days in the last six months — more than twice as often as they missed work.

EAP helps
Employee assistance programs (EAP) are the best vehicle for dealing with presenteeism, says Ricciuti. “They serve to calm a situation down, and relieve employees’ distress with their situations. EAP plays a big role in assisting management and helping them deal with these worker issues.”

Anfield points out that many employees feel overwhelmed by their problems, and often don’t know where to start to tackle them, which can intensify stress levels. “EAP offers one-stop shopping for the full gamut of services provided by the employer and the wider community to help them deal with their issues. It lets workers know they have choices.”

Presenteeism occurs across all industry sectors, so EAP programs are typically tailored for different work environments. “Employers need to know their employees: their demographic makeup and the issues they’re likely facing,” says Anfield. In a call centre with a workforce comprised primarily of women in their childbearing years, programs may focus on offering information about childcare in the community and pediatrics, while a manufacturing firm with older employees may offer information about elder care and chronic disease management.