True or False: Presenteeism is the exact opposite of absenteeism.

When researching efficiency in the workplace, the terms “presenteeism” and “absenteeism” used side-by-side may lead the reader to believe these are two disparate terms; the person is either at work, or the person is not. However, these terms are actually quite similar in that they refer to lost productivity due to being away from work. While absenteeism is missing a scheduled work day, presenteeism is attending work while not feeling well, and both result in lost productivity¹.

A literature review revealed that the percentage of lost productivity related to presenteeism was higher among individuals with medical conditions than the individuals without diagnosed medical conditions². This review also provided sources evidencing how presenteeism leads to higher employer costs associated with loss, as compared to absenteeism. Employees who have medical conditions are more prone to make costly errors, and are more likely to have accidents affecting Workers’ Compensation expense. This insight allows employers to understand the indirect costs of medical conditions beyond healthcare and prescription expenditures.

Moreover, individuals with comorbid depression have a higher rate of lost productivity than individuals without depression². Benefit Performance Associates’ found that 75% of individuals suffering from multiple chronic conditions (MCC) had depression³. As changes continue to occur within the healthcare system (e.g. high deductible health plans), it is imperative that mental health issues are addressed by primary care physicians.

Improved productivity, increased quality of life, and healthcare savings can be achieved with integrated care. The Integrated Health Advocacy Program (IHAP) works with people suffering from multiple chronic conditions and his/her current providers to address the adversities that this population tends to face. For more information on how IHAP can benefit you, please contact Dawn Tishkoff at 630-761-4427 or dtishkoff@ihap.com.

1 Hemp, P. (2004). Presenteeism: At Work-But Out of It. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2004/10/presenteeism-at-work-but-out-of-it

2 Johns, G. (2009). Presenteeism in the Workplace: A review and research agenda. Journal of Organizational Behavior.31, 519-542 (2010).

3 Benefit Performance Associates. (2016). Health Claims Data Analysis.