Presenteeism | If your employees are turning up to work sick, your culture needs an update

It’s a common occurrence for an employee to turn up to work even when they’re unwell. Pre-pandemic, it was obvious when someone was sick in the office.

You might have even found yourself getting irritated at the sounds of persistent coughing and spluttering, thinking to yourself: “Why have they come into work? They’re going to make me sick!”

This became even more pertinent over the pandemic. As hybrid-models came into play, and workers were welcomed back into the office, if you had a cough or cold, many were actively encouraged to stay at home to prevent the spread of Covid.

Being sick at work from a health perspective has been dampened by the widespread adoption of remote work. As even if an employee reports feeling unwell, in most cases, they can continue to work whilst not bothering others, and in a more comfortable setting than the office. Indeed, working from home was often a solution for unwell staff members pre-pandemic.