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| Employee Health & Wellness |
| Presenteeism: You mean we want sick people to stay home? |
presenteeism (prez.un.TEE.iz.um) n. The feeling that one must show up for work even if one is too sick, stressed, or distracted to be productive.
The most serious part of the flu season is now upon us, so supervisors will need to be on the lookout for the “hero worker” who insists on punching in even when he is sick. While you might not be concerned about the impact one sick worker will have on productivity, consider the implications if he shares the virus with your entire workforce.
The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) has recommended five “Habits for Good Health” as a measure for preventing the spread of respiratory diseases. (See http://www.cdc.gov/flu/keyfacts.htm#goodhabits#goodhabits). Employers can invest a nominal fee and take it one step further. If you eliminate a single sick day for a single employee, these “expenditures” will pay for themselves:
- Habit 1: Have plenty of tissue available. Make sure there is a box in every workspace and in all “community” areas, like employee lounges and conference rooms (even the most competent adults don’t typically keep their own supply on hand). Provide a garbage can for disposal in each area as well.
- Habit 2: Provide a “gift basket” of alcohol-based hand cleaner in a central area with a note: “Please take one for personal use. Help us keep everyone healthy.”
- Habit 3: Re-evaluate company sick leave policies that discourage people from using sick leave. Do you “reward” employees who have 100% attendance? Do you discipline employees who use too much sick leave? If so, you may have inadvertently created incentive for people to come to work sick.
- Habit 4: Use your own sick leave. If those with supervisory responsibility come to work sick, other employees will “get the message” that this is expected of them as well. Ask yourself: “Would I want to work at a desk three feet away from someone who feels like I do?”
- Habit 5: Keep temporary staffing in mind as an economical method for maintaining company productivity even when key employees are sick.
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