Sources of job-related stress can be found everywhere, from the nature of the work itself, to coworkers and administration. Historically, healthcare professionals and caregivers go to work sick. This is the very definition of presenteeism – working while physically or emotionally unwell.
Across all industries throughout the country and around the world, poor employee well-being is associated with stress, anxiety, depression, and exhaustion, leading to a phenomenon called presenteeism. This, too, has been associated with becoming withdrawn and disengaged with their work.
In healthcare, especially senior care, presenteeism can lead to a lot of negative outcomes including:
- poor quality of care
- decreased productivity
- loss of hours worked
- accidents
- turnover
- low morale
- increased absenteeism
- lower job satisfaction
- burnout
Presenteeism has many personal and workplace causes. Some personal causes are unhealthy lifestyles that many healthcare employees, unfortunately have. Many are working with both acute and long-term illnesses like allergies, asthma, sinus infections, diabetes, heart problems, anxiety and depression. Some may be dealing with substance use issues. Others may have poor work-life balance.
Some work-place causes of presenteeism include a negative environmental or work-place culture, stress due to coworkers, supervisors, and management, and dealing with challenging residents and their families. Other sources involve working short, too many call-offs, poorly-trained employees and heavy caseloads.
There are other reasons why healthcare professionals and caregivers go to work sick that have roots in our culture and society. They don’t want to burden their coworkers, disappoint residents and family members, don’t want to appear unprofessional and don’t want to be criticized by their peers or management.
Regardless of the underlying causes of presenteeism, it can be dangerous to residents, coworkers and one’s self. Administration should take a hard look at the degree of presenteeism that exists in his or her community and address it before something unfortunate happens.