New Delhi (NVI): Stress and more chronic exhaustion such as burnout is commonplace and now studies show this results in a decline in productivity.
Presenteeist culture, which see employees working longer hours, have been linked to higher rates of burnout. This is the opposite of absenteeism. People attend work when sick, or even overwork, and it is a habit that is more common than we think. Employees feel they’re unable to challenge this culture because they see everyone else doing the same thing.
People that go to work when ill or work longer hours than expected often work at less than their full capacity.
One study in the Netherlands looking at a variety of jobs found that presenteeism may appear to be profitable for companies at first because of the reduced absence of employees. But in the long term, presenteeism resulted in higher levels of sickness and absenteeism later on.
Other studies have found that presenteeism can cause a decline in productivity in the individual employee by at least one third and is more costly to the employer than its counterpart, absenteeism. It is also what makes employees sick.
The World Health Organisation officially classifies burnout as an “occupational phenomenon”. It is defined as “a syndrome conceptualised as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed”. And it is characterised by feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion, negative and cynical feelings towards your job, and a decline in performance.
Tackling burnout is the responsibility of both organisations and their employees. If improving your health is a priority for you, your work health plays a crucial part in this – both physically and mentally.
