After the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, the widespread adoption of working from home, or teleworking, has prompted extensive research regarding its effects on work productivity and the physical and mental health of employees. In this context, our study aimed to investigate the association between working from home and health-related productivity loss (HRPL).
An online survey was conducted with a sample of 1,078 workers. HRPL was estimated by the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire: General Health version. Workers that have been working from home in the last 6 months were categorized into the “work from home” group. Generalized linear models were used to compare the mean difference of HRPL between “work from home” and “commuters” group. Stratified analyses were conducted based on various factors including gender, age, income level, occupation, education level, previous diagnosis of chronic disease, presence of preschool children, living in studio apartment, living alone, commuting time, working hours and regular exercise.
The overall HRPL was higher in the “work from home” group than in the “commuters” group with a mean difference of 4.05 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.09–8.01). In the stratified analyses, significant differences were observed in workers with chronic diseases (mean difference: 8.23, 95% CI: 0.38–16.09), who do not live alone (mean difference: 4.84, 95% CI: 0.35–9.33), and workers that do not exercise regularly (mean difference: 4.96, 95% CI: 0.12–9.80).
Working from home is associated with an increased HRPL in the Korean working population, especially among those with chronic diseases, those who do not live alone, and those who do not exercise regularly.
In Korea, few studies clarify insomnia and its association and absenteeism or presenteeism. Therefore, this study aims to examine the association between insomnia and absenteeism/presenteeism using the sixth Korean Working Conditions Survey.
Insomnia was evaluated by the Minimal Insomnia Symptoms Scale (MISS). Absenteeism and presenteeism were assessed by asking if the employee had experienced absence or working despite being ill for the prior 12 months at the point of the survey. Multiple logistic analyses were conducted to explore insomnia and its association with absenteeism and presenteeism.
The odds ratios of insomnia for absenteeism and presenteeism were 3.48 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.76–4.39) and 3.68 (95% CI: 3.18–4.26) in the fully adjusted model. As the MISS scores increased, absenteeism and presenteeism showed the increasing trend that odd ratios increased accordingly from the first to the fourth quartile.
This study observed that insomnia was related to both absenteeism and presenteeism among Korean employees.
Citations
Workers in logistics centers are always pressed for time to collect and pack products. They also participate in high-intensity manual labor in which various musculoskeletal hazards exist. In the case of logistic center labor, it is estimated that there is a high risk of presenteeism due to the above characteristics which can cause deterioration of workers’ mental health. However, there is insufficient research on this topic.
Workers in a logistic center were surveyed using an Internet questionnaire. The survey items included demographic characteristics, labor intensity and work-related factors, and mental health aspects such as depression and anxiety. The survey was conducted for about a month from July 26, 2021 and a total of 353 people were analyzed. Through the χ2 test and t-test, the characteristics of workers who experienced presenteeism were examined and the prevalence ratios (PRs) of depression and anxiety experiences were calculated by multivariable Poisson regression. Afterwards, stratification analysis considering gender, the type of contract, and labor intensity was implemented.
In the group that experienced presenteeism, the number of working days per week was higher and fixed-term workers, high labor intensity, and sleep deprivation were more common. In the multi-Poisson regression analysis conducted by adjusting the demographic characteristics, working hours, and work-related factors, the PRs of depression and anxiety were 1.98 (95% confidence interval: 1.24–3.18) and 1.81 (1.22–2.68), respectively. In particular, the
As a result of the study, presenteeism and mental health were associated in logistic center workers. To prevent mental health issues of logistic center workers, management of presenteeism is necessary and a prospective study is needed.
Citations
Many studies have been conducted on presenteeism and absenteeism, but the relationship between presenteeism and absenteeism is unclear. This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of presenteeism on future absenteeism.
This study was conducted on non-white collar workers that underwent general health examinations in 2014 and 2015. We asked subjects to fill out a questionnaire about their experiences of presenteeism for the past one year in 2014. In 2015, it was checked whether the same subjects had any experience of absence from work due to injury or disease during the past year. The χ2 test was used to analyze relationships between sociodemographic and occupational characteristics, presenteeism, and absence. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated by logistic regression analysis controlled for confounding factors.
A total of 12,572 workers were included in the study. For workers who experienced presenteeism, the OR for injury absence was 2.705 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.044–3.581), and the OR for disease absence was 4.906 (95% CI: 3.996–6.024) after adjusting for sociodemographic and occupational confounding factors. For men that experienced presenteeism, the OR for injury absence was 3.035 (95% CI: 2.258–4.081), and the OR for disease absence was 5.508 (95% CI: 4.340–6.989). For women that experienced presenteeism, the OR for injury absence was 1.322 (95% CI: 0.577–3.028), which was not significant, and the OR for disease absence was 3.629 (95% CI: 2.405–5.475).
This study suggests that presenteeism can influence future absenteeism. The effect of presenteeism may depend on cause of absence. Men who experienced presenteeism showed greater effects on injury and disease absence than women. For women, experience of presenteeism had a significant effect on disease absence but not on injury absence.
Citations
Presenteeism is a phenomenon in which employees go to work, but physical or mental health problems make it impossible for them to properly demonstrate their abilities, and productivity decreases accordingly. Recent studies have considered the behavior of direct supervisors to be an important factor in the pathogenesis of various health-related outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the association between the direct supervisor's behaviors and presenteeism among wage workers in South Korea.
A total of 25,798 participants from the fifth Korean Working Condition Survey conducted in 2017 were included in the analysis. The behaviors of direct supervisor were assessed by 6 questionnaire items. In this study, the distribution of the scores was categorized into 4 categories (very good, good, bad, and very bad). To assess presenteeism, the corresponding questionnaire item was used. χ2 tests and multiple logistic regression analyses adjusted for general, occupational, and psychosocial factors were performed to determine the association between the behaviors of direct supervisor and presenteeism.
Direct supervisor's behavior were significantly associated with presenteeism. The adjusted odds ratios (aORs) of presenteeism in the good, bad, and very bad groups were 1.297 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.153–1.458), 1.191 (95% CI: 0.941–1.507), and 1.604 (95% CI: 1.184–2.175), compared with the very good group. Associations between presenteeism and the behaviors of direct supervisor were significant in male workers, but not in female workers. For male workers, the aORs of presenteeism in the good, bad, very bad groups were 1.661 (95% CI: 1.425–1.936), 1.445 (95% CI: 1.053–1.982), 2.340 (95% CI: 1.569–3.491), respectively.
This study suggests that the behavior of a direct supervisor can influence the occurrence of presenteeism, particularly in men. The proper management of senior employee's behaviors is necessary to reduce the risk of presenteeism in the workplace.
Citations
Sickness presenteeism (SP) indicates “going to work while being ill.” The importance of SP has only recently been investigated, and the association between SP and employment status has been inconsistent across studies. Therefore, we conducted this study to explore the association between SP and employment status by using presenteeism propensity (PP), which can reflect the individual decision-making process.
The study population included employees participating in the 5th Korean Working Condition Survey. We analyzed data of only employees with at least one health event, which was calculated as the sum of SP and sickness absenteeism days. Employment status was grouped into 3 categories: stable employment, unstable employment (contract period
Unstable employees (contract period
Employment status was associated with SP. Given the negative health impact of SP, social efforts, such as paid sick leave, are required to reduce SP and enhance the health status of unstable workers.
Citations
Discrimination is a representative social determinant of health. Presenteeism is defined as presenting to work despite of illness and is an indicator of group health. We investigated the association of discrimination and presenteeism with cardiovascular disease using Korean data.
This study used the fourth Korea Working Conditions Survey (2014) data of 27,662 wage workers (employees). Presenteeism and discrimination related to age, sex, education, birth region, and employment type were ascertained. Self-reported cardiovascular disease was also assessed using the survey questionnaire. General and occupational characteristics found to be significant in univariate analyses were entered into a multivariate logistic regression analysis of the association of discrimination and presenteeism with cardiovascular disease. We also calculated the odds ratios of multiple discriminations and/or presenteeism for cardiovascular disease.
In the univariate analyses, sex, age, education, monthly income, employment type, occupation, hours worked per week, workplace scale, and shift work were significantly associated with cardiovascular disease. A multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for general and occupational characteristics showed that discrimination and presenteeism were significantly associated with cardiovascular disease. Finally, the association with cardiovascular disease was strongest when both multiple discriminations and presenteeism were present.
Discrimination and presenteeism are associated with cardiovascular disease, and this association was stronger in the presence of multiple types of discrimination and presenteeism.
Citations
Presenteeism refers to the phenomenon of working while sick. Its development can be attributed to not only somatic symptoms but also underlying social agreements and workplace atmosphere. In this study, we analyzed presenteeism among workers from various industries, focusing on job-related stress with stratification on the presence of depression.
We conducted the study with data from questionnaires filled in by different enterprises enrolled in the Federation of Korean Trade Unions. Workers' depressive symptoms were investigated using the Patient Health Questionnaire-2, while questions on job-related stress and presenteeism were derived from the short form of the Korean Occupational Stress Scale and the official Korean version of the Work-Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire-General Health, respectively. Multilevel logistic analysis was conducted to determine the statistical differences derived from the differences between companies.
In total, 930 participants (753 men and 177 women) from 59 enterprises participated in the research. We conducted multilevel logistic regression to determine the association between the variables and presenteeism, with stratification by the presence of depression. Higher job demands and higher interpersonal conflict showed significantly elevated odds ratios (ORs) in univariate models and in the multivariate multilevel model. In the final model of total population, fully adjusted by general and work-related characteristics, higher job demands (OR: 3.29, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.08–5.21) and interpersonal conflict (OR: 1.87, 95% CI: 1.29–2.71) had significantly higher ORs—a tendency that remained in participants without depression.
This study reflected the factors associated with presenteeism among workers from various enterprises. The findings revealed that job-related stress was closely related to presenteeism in both the total population and in the population without depression. Thus, it emphasized interventions for managing job stress among workers to reduce presenteeism in general workers' population.
Citations
Going to work despite feeling sick also known as sickness presenteeism is one of the emerging global occupational health challenges. Sickness presenteeism negatively affects both health of work forces and productivity of organizations in general. However, there is insufficient research exploring this situation in majority of the Sub-Saharan African countries, including Ethiopia. Thus this study intended to investigate the prevalence and determinant factors of sickness presenteeism among health care workers, Western Ethiopia.
This study used an institution based cross-sectional quantitative study design. The study period was from February to March, 2017. We employed simple random sampling method to select 360 study samples. Data collection was performed by pre-tested structured and self- administered questionnaire. We used SPSS version 20 to carry out binary logistic regression analysis. Odds ratio with 95% confidence intervals was calculated and significance of associations was determined at
A total of 344 respondents fully completed the survey questionnaire. Mean age with standard deviation was 30.28 ± 6.181. Prevalence of sickness Presenteeism was 52.6% [95%CI: (47.4, 57.8)] in the past 12 months. Educational status [AOR:2.1, 95%CI: (1.17,3.90)], financial problem [AOR:1.9,95%CI:(1.07,3.46)], sickness absenteeism [AOR:2.7,95% CI:(1.50,5.02)], lack of staff replacement [AOR:2.7,95%CI:(1.50,5.02)], absence of occupational health services [AOR:3.0,95%CI:(1.34,6.70)], and pressure from supervisor [AOR:1.8,95% CI:(1.01,3.31)] were significant predictors of the dependent variable.
Relatively higher proportions of workers indicated sickness presenteeism as compared to other studies. Risk factors like educational status, personal financial problem, sickness absenteeism, lack of staff replacement, absence of occupational health services, and pressure from supervisors considerably increased the likely occurrence of employees’ sick attendance. It is advisable for health care managers to hire adequate health care staffs, to implement basic occupational health services and to design strategies which reduce pressure from supervisors.
Citations
Health risk assessments (HRA) are used by many organisations as a basis for developing relevant and targeted employee health and well-being interventions. However, many HRA’s have a western-centric focus and therefore it is unclear whether the results can be directly extrapolated to those from non-western countries. More information regarding the differences in the associations between country status and health risks is needed along with a more global perspective of employee health risk factors and well-being overall. Therefore we aimed to i) quantify and compare associations for a number of health risk factors based on country status, and then ii) explore which characteristics can aid better prediction of well-being levels and in turn workplace productivity globally.
Online employee HRA data collected from 254 multi-national companies, for the years 2013 through 2016 was analysed (n = 117,274). Multiple linear regression models were fitted, adjusting for age and gender, to quantify associations between country status and health risk factors. Separate regression models were used to assess the prediction of well-being measures related to productivity.
On average, the developing countries were comprised of younger individuals with lower obesity rates and markedly higher job satisfaction compared to their developed country counterparts. However, they also reported higher levels of anxiety and depression, a greater number of health risks and lower job effectiveness. Assessment of key factors related to productivity found that region of residency was the biggest predictor of presenteeism and poor pain management was the biggest predictor of absenteeism.
Clear differences in health risks exist between employees from developed and developing countries and these should be considered when addressing well-being and productivity in the global workforce.
The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40557-017-0172-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Citations
Determinants of Depressive Symptoms Among Rural Health Workers: An Application of Socio-Ecological Framework
It is common that physicians go to work while sick and therefore it is important to understand the reasons behind. Previous research has shown that women and men differ in health and health related behavior. In this study, we examine gender differences among general practitioners who work while sick.
General practitioners (GP’s) working in outpatient care in a Swedish city participated in the study (
Female physicians reported sickness presenteeism more often than male physicians. Work-family conflict mediated the association between gender and sickness presenteeism.
Women reported reasons related with “concern for others” and “workload” more strongly than men. Men reported reasons related with “capacity” and “money” more strongly than women. These differences are likely effects of gender stereotyping and different family-responsibilities.
Gender socialization and gender stereotypes may influence work and health-related behavior. Because sickness presenteeism is related with negative effects both on individuals and at organizational levels, it is important that managers of health organizations understand the reasons for this, and how gender roles may influence the prevalence of sickness presenteeism and the reasons that female and male GPs give for their behavior.
Citations
Presenteeism, a concept that has recently undergone active study, is the act of attending work while sick. This study investigates the association between presenteeism and various psychosocial factors within workplaces.
This study analyzed 29246 wage earners from the third Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS, 2011) data using the logistic regression analysis to investigate the association between presenteeism and various psychosocial factors within workplaces.
Among the 29246 wage earners, 6347 (21.7 %) showed presenteeism. Those who experienced age discrimination at work (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.77: 95 % CI 1.56–2.00), educational background discrimination (aOR 1.35: 95 % CI 1.22–1.51), regional discrimination (aOR 1.55: 95 % CI 1.31–1.83), sexual discrimination (aOR 1.65: 95 % CI 1.41–1.94), employment type discrimination (aOR 2.13: 95 % CI 1.89–2.40), physical violence (aOR 1.92: 95 % CI 1.45–2.55), sexual harassment (aOR 2.90: 95 % CI 2.01–4.19), job insecurity (aOR 1.36: 95 % CI 1.18–1.56), work–life imbalance (aOR 1.38: 95 % CI 1.29–1.47), low job satisfaction (aOR 2.04: 95 % CI 1.91–2.17), no colleague support (aOR 1.11: 95 % CI 1.02–1.21), job stress (aOR 1.89: 95 % CI 1.76–2.02), emotional labor (aOR 1.50: 95 % CI 1.41–1.60), high work intensity (aOR 1.31: 95 % CI 1.23–1.38), and 3 groups of job strain that are passive group (aOR 1.09: 95 % CI 1.00–1.18), active group (aOR 1.39: 95 % CI 1.28–1.51), and high strain group (aOR 1.35: 95 % CI 1.24–1.46) showed an increased risk of presenteeism compared to their respective counterparts (
The study results confirmed the association between presenteeism and various psychosocial factors within workplaces. Considering that presenteeism negatively affects productivity and the mental and physical health of individuals, managing various psychosocial factors within workplaces is proposed to reduce presenteeism.
Citations
Presenteeism has become a public concern recently. Thus, we aimed to understand the relationship between self-employed workers and presenteeism using a nationally representative sample of Korean workers.
Using data from the Korean Working Conditions Survey conducted in 2011, a total of 43,392 workers including paid employees and self-employed workers were analyzed. The effect of employment status on presenteeism was analyzed using logistic regression analysis. The independent variables were socioeconomic characteristics, working conditions, and working environments.
Among the 43,392 workers, 34,783 were paid and 8,609 were self-employed. Self-employed workers were more likely to exhibit presenteeism than were paid workers. An elevated odds ratio of 1.27 (95% CI 1.19-1.36) was found for presenteeism among self-employed workers.
Being self-employed was significantly related with exhibiting presenteeism. Additional research should investigate whether other factors mediate the relationship between employment status and presenteeism as well as ways to reduce presenteeism among self-employed workers.
Citations
The purpose of the present study was to identify the association between presenteeism and long working hours, shiftwork, and occupational stress using representative national survey data on Korean workers.
We analyzed data from the second Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS), which was conducted in 2010, in which a total of 6,220 wage workers were analyzed. The study population included the economically active population aged above 15 years, and living in the Republic of Korea. We used the chi-squared test and multivariate logistic regression to test the statistical association between presenteeism and working hours, shiftwork, and occupational stress.
Approximately 19% of the workers experienced presenteeism during the previous 12 months. Women had higher rates of presenteeism than men. We found a statistically significant dose–response relationship between working hours and presenteeism. Shift workers had a slightly higher rate of presenteeism than non-shift workers, but the difference was not statistically significant. Occupational stress, such as high job demand, lack of rewards, and inadequate social support, had a significant association with presenteeism.
The present study suggests that long working hours and occupational stress are significantly related to presenteeism.
Citations
Citations
Citations