At Brown paper packages we believe that at the core of all successful businesses is a work culture that encourages and helps support the wellbeing of its workforce.
In the current corporate climate, there appears to be a growing issue: Presenteeism.
But what is presenteeism?
Well – it’s something you’ve probably seen at work and most likely at some points have done yourself… The act of turning up to work whilst feeling physically or mentally not quite right, but because of the demanding and competitive nature of the corporate world you try to push through and get on with the day’s work.
It’s important to remember that not every working week of your life should feel like a Rocky training montage – You’re allowed to unwind in the evenings and take breaks! But more importantly you should feel comfortable communicating how you feel at work, because unlike absenteeism, presenteeism can easily go unnoticed if not addressed. You can visibly see when someone doesn’t show up for work, but can you see when someone is really finding it hard to unwind at home and come in fully focused the next day? It might be more subtle but it’s just as important to address.
What is the cost of presenteeism?
Presenteeism benefits no one in the workplace but is unfortunately becoming a more common issue. Presenteeism can quickly become the cause of a butterfly effect within businesses affecting everything from its root impact of reduced workplace productivity, all the way to a general lower morale around the office (perhaps just a slightly less enthusiastic vibe in zoom calls for some…)
How can it be prevented?
We believe that absenteeism and presenteeism aren’t just going to disappear, however – they can be mitigated, and making a start is what really counts. If you’re an employee making sure you can unwind after work is crucial not just to relax and maintain a healthy work life balance but also so you can go in the next day feeling ready to work to your full potential! If on the other hand you’re an employer, ensuring that your staff feel comfortable creating a clearer divide between life and work is one key way to avoid presenteeism presenting itself within your office.
We don’t think we can completely prevent absenteeism and presenteeism in the workplace on our own, but perhaps some of our employee care packages can help – bespoke to any scenario that you feel may be causing presenteeism to occur at your workplace. We will work with you to personally tailor the best solution to assist in solving wellbeing issues in your office.
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