Presenteeism is unfortunately becoming more and more common in workplaces across the world, here are 5 ways we believe you can reduce it at yours:
1 Recognise the symptoms
The first step to reducing presenteeism is to be able to see it! It’s hard to spot, but not quite invisible.
Symptoms can include:
- Making more mistakes than usual
- Low productivity
- Missing breaks
- Looking tired or exhausted
Spotting the symptoms allows you to start the conversation and encourage employees who are pushing themselves a bit too hard, to talk about what’s going on.
2 Encourage staff to take time off
It’s commonplace nowadays in the corporate world for people to just “crack on.” However, this is one of the main reasons presenteeism is on the rise. Encouraging employees to take time off can really help reduce the amount of presenteeism in the workplace.
3 Improve your wellbeing program
Sometimes things need a revamp. If you’re seeing a larger amount of presenteeism in your office, it may be time to improve (or implement) your wellbeing program. An easy way to start could be putting in an order for some of our wellbeing care packages, to remind employees that they are valued and deserve to take time to look after themselves!
4 Get managers to set a good example
Managers are pivotal in setting the moral of their teams within the office. If a manager is showing symptoms of presenteeism, chances are other employees will too! Make sure managers within the company are looking after themselves just as much as everyone else.
5 Foster a culture of care among colleagues
Finally, it’s key to create an environment at work, where people look out for each other. If everyone is looking for signs of presenteeism they can be reduced much more effectively. An environment where people feel comfortable talking about how work is affecting them is usually a more productive one!