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Related Experiment Videos

'Choosing' to work when sick: workplace presenteeism.

Kevin Dew1, Vera Keefe, Keitha Small

  • 1Department of Public Health, Wellington School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Otago, P.O. Box 7343, Wellington South, New Zealand. kdew@wnmeds.ac.nz

Social Science & Medicine (1982)
|March 8, 2005
PubMed
Summary

Workers often work while ill (presenteeism), driven by distinct economic, social, and cultural factors across workplaces. Understanding presenteeism is crucial, challenging the focus on absenteeism.

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Area of Science:

  • Occupational Health
  • Sociology of Work
  • Organizational Behavior

Background:

  • Presenteeism, working while ill or injured, is a significant workplace phenomenon.
  • Existing research often focuses on absenteeism, potentially overlooking the prevalence and impact of presenteeism.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the phenomenon of presenteeism across diverse work settings.
  • To identify distinct rationalizations and fostering factors of presenteeism.
  • To examine the links between presenteeism, economic/social constraints, and workplace culture.

Main Methods:

  • Qualitative research approach using interviews and focus groups.
  • Data collection conducted at three distinct New Zealand work sites: private hospital, public hospital, and factory.

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  • Analysis focused on understanding workers' rationalizations and workplace influences on presenteeism.

    • Main Results:

    • Presenteeism is a prominent issue across all studied work sites.
    • Rationalizations and contributing factors to presenteeism varied significantly between the hospital and factory settings.
    • Economic and social constraints, alongside specific workplace cultures, were key drivers of presenteeism.

    Conclusions:

    • Presenteeism is a complex issue influenced by unique workplace dynamics.
    • A stronger discourse on presenteeism is needed to balance the focus on absenteeism.
    • Workplace health practices and individual choices are shaped by broader socio-economic and cultural contexts.