Ever find yourself at work trying to get everything done even though you'd rather be in bed nursing your cold? Researchers say this can lead to a vicious circle of excessive demands and constant fatigue – especially when working from home. How can we limit our presenteeism? Berlin (dpa) - Many people go to work ill, be it because they need the money and can't afford to take time off or because of job insecurity, a heavy workload, the feeling that they're irreplaceable the love of their job or management expectations. But the price may be more than a headachy, sniffly slog through the day. A recent study by researchers from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands and the Chemnitz University of Technology (TU Chemnitz) and Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences in Germany found that "frequent sickness presence episodes contributed to increases in fatigue over time." "Those who regularly exhibit presenteeism run the risk of falling into a spiral of excessive demands and permanent exhaustion," warns Dr Oliver Weigelt, assistant professor of organizational psychology at the University of Groningen and co-author of the study. While the broader meaning of "presenteeism" is being present at your place of work longer than is required - for whatever reason - it's usually understood to mean going to work when you're ill. In the study, published in the American Psychological Association's Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 123 employees kept a weekly diary for 16 weeks in which they noted whether they had worked while ill and how fatigued they felt. The findings were clear: Their level of fatigue rose substantially in the weeks they worked ill, and remained elevated in the following weeks. The researchers also took other factors into account as possible causes of exhaustion, namely illness symptoms, workload and time pressure. "People who work while sick need considerably longer to recover," says research team leader Dr Carolin Dietz, scientific researcher in work, organizational and economic psychology at TU Chemnitz. While many people underestimate how much energy the body needs to return to normal, "the data showed that exhaustion only dissipates slowly over several weeks after such phases." So what should ill employees do? Honestly assess your ability to work and willingness to jeopardize your long-term health by showing up, says Dr Bertolt Meyer, professor of work, organizational and economic psychology at TU Chemnitz, adding that employers also benefit from employees taking time off when ill. "Presenteeism can seem pragmatic in the view of employees, but in the medium term leads to reduced performance and higher costs [for employers]," he remarks. Speak with your superior if you don't feel physically up to your job, advise experts. And don't wait until you're completely exhausted - it's not like a salary negotiation, when you try to catch your boss in a particularly good mood, says Cologne-based career coach Bernd Slaghuis. A brief heads-up (e.g. "I've got a lot on my plate and am not in the best of health at the moment") is straightforward and allows management to redistribute tasks or alter priorities. Remote and flexitime workers in particular should make sure to utilize rest periods - not merely observe them formally, but truly recharge their batteries both physically and mentally. Even before the coronavirus pandemic, multiple studies showed that employees working from home are more likely to risk their health by working when ill, notes Germany's Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA). Employers have a role to play too. To prevent presenteeism, they should create a workplace atmosphere in which employees who are under the weather are fully free to decide whether they're fit enough to work, the BAuA says, for example via flexible working hours, sound personnel shortfall management and a company culture emphasizing the importance of recuperation in cases of illness. "Companies should therefore actively encourage ill employees to take the measures necessary to recover," says Meyer. This will not only avoid the risk of infecting other employees, but also medium-term costs associated with the ill employee's reduced productivity. The following information is not intended for publication dpa/tmn amb lue yyzz n1 sw ob coh (The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)
