Dysfunctional presenteeism: Effects of physical and mental health on work performance

Abstract

Poor health in the workforce is costly to employers and the economy. This is partly due to health problems causing people to spend less time at work but is also due to people being less productive while at work. In this paper, we investigate the causes of dysfunctional presenteeism, defined as reduced productivity at work due to health problems. We find that both physical and mental health significantly predict the probability of dysfunctional presenteeism, and the effects of mental health problems seem to be worse than physical health. In comparison, changes to most other characteristics have little or no effect.

The Role of Mental Health on Workplace Productivity: A Critical Review of the Literature

“…According to the authors, initiatives that limit and help workers manage job stress seem to be the most promising avenue for improving workers' productivity. Furthermore, the authors found that presenteeism rates among workers with poor mental health were relatively insensitive to work environments, in line with other research from the UK [76]; consequently, they suggested that developing institutional arrangements that specifically target the productivity of those experiencing mental ill health may prove challenging. These findings are particularly important in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic due to changes in work arrangements and workplaces (e.g., working from home while trying to balance work with home and care responsibilities, hybrid working arrangements, and ensuring workplaces have COVID-19-secure measures in place).…”

“…There is also a need to better understand the extent to which mental illness decreases productivity at work and the mechanisms through which this occurs, as this could help inform the role of employment policy and practices to minimise presenteeism [25]. Some research suggests that conducive working conditions, such as part-time employment and having autonomy over work tasks, can help mitigate the negative impact of mental health on presenteeism [76]. Alongside this, it is important to learn more about the dynamics of the relationship between mental illness and worker productivity to understand the trade-offs between presenteeism and absenteeism [25].…”

Industry differences in psychological distress and distress-related productivity loss: A cross-sectional study of Australian workers

“…The first asks the number of days the respondent was unable to work, study, or carry out day‐to‐day activities because of feelings in the last 4 weeks (distress‐related work loss days), and the second asks the number of days they cut down on work, study, or day‐to‐day activities as a result of feelings in the last 4 weeks (distress‐related work cutback days). In line with previous research, 1,15 given this analysis is restricted to employed persons these days are assumed to impact on work for this population.…”

“…The scores range from 10 to 50. The K10 score was categorized as low (10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15), moderate (16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21), high (22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29), and very-high , in accordance with ABS category parameters. 11 A high K10 score is highly associated with the presence of an anxiety and/or affective disorder and is a commonly used component of international health surveys.…”

Evidence for the effectiveness of interventions to reduce mental health related stigma in the workplace: a systematic review

“…Mental disorders can have significant consequences, not only on the individual level, but also on a societal and economic level. In the context of the workplace,1 2 poor mental health has been linked with absenteeism and presenteeism3–5 leading to decreased workplace performance, productivity and increased risk of unemployment 6 7. Depression and anxiety are the two most common mental disorders globally, and are therefore also most likely to impact work performance and productivity 8…”