Presenteeism - present in body absent in productivity

Presenteeism is alive and 'not well' in many businesses today. It will visit your business or may even be present as you read this article.

Presenteeism may be described as 'attending the workplace with minor or serious illnesses' when in fact your employee or you should be away recovering'!

It's a fact of life that when we don't feel good we don't operate at our best!

Many of us have observed workers and co-workers who have come in for the day and seemed present at the job only to observe a decrease in productivity or an overrun of deadlines. Some of us would have experienced this ourselves.

Employees or managers attending your workplace with minor sicknesses such as asthma, irritable bowel, migraines, arthritis, stress, fatigue may cause your business serious risk such as legal claims, productivity loss, declining employee morale and a occupational health and safety problem.

With more seious illnesses such as surgery recovery the effect on your business may lead to serious consequences.

In our business culture of lean and mean, fewer people more work, many employees come to work ill just to protect their jobs. After all there are bills to pay, medical expenses, school fees and the list goes on.

With many businesses reliant on team structures the presure by an ill employee to 'not let the team down' is a very real pressure. You can train your team to recognise these factors and save your business considerable grief.

Presenteeism is a concern in our workplaces today as pressure continues on individuals, families and enterprises to remain competitive. Fear is a terrible negative motivator! In the end your business will suffer consequences.

By way of example; at a company I worked for in a senior management capacity we disturbed an executive who had his door closed for quite some time. A staff member of mine had a master key and required access to the executive's office to get some material and on entering disturbed the executive who was sleeping under the desk on the floor. He was recovering from eye surgery and needed 5 days off on Doctors orders!

From our experience many workplaces do not have the human resource infrastructure or capacity to ensure that they comply with the myriad of regulations and complex legislation that is required to protect your business interests in today's workplace. However, you are not alone and there are practical solutions for your business.

A few questions could be

1. Have I noticed present employees who are not performing because of illness?

2. Am I actively looking after their welfare?

3. Do I know what my obligations are?

4. Have I policies and procedures to circumvent organisational illnesses such as stress?

5. Do I understand the risk involved in allowing the person to remain at work?

From our experience most employers are not aware of their obligations, consequences and risks and ignorance of these issues is 'no defence' in the eyes of the law. There are practical solutions to minimise your risks and give your biz momentum. For more information see www.biz-momentum.com

Philip Lye started his career in banking and finance as postage clerk for a major bank. He moved through various industry sectors and achieved executive management roles in business as Chief Executive Officer.

He has worked in small business, national and global companies and has significant international experience. Previous to founding Biz Momentum, Philip managed two companies out of impending ruin while being able to retain and develop the current employees.

Philip is a Certified Professional Human Resources Consultant and a qualified Accountant. Contact Philip at http://www.biz-mmentum.com

---

Brainstorm

Ever lost for ideas while working in a group? One... Read More

Presenteeism - present in body absent in productivity

Presenteeism is alive and 'not well' in many businesses today.... Read More

Seven Keys to More Effectively Leading Teams

Maybe you find yourself in a new team environment and... Read More

What?s Wrong With You, Why Don?t You Understand Me?

Recently while waiting for our lunch to be served in... Read More

How To Encourage Ideas From Your Team At Meetings

You're at a meeting with key staff. You want some... Read More

Building Teams

Young minds are quite easy to shape. International Terrorist recruiters... Read More

Checklist for High Performing Teams

Why do some teams perform well while others struggle? How... Read More

Team Journaling

The very effective tool of keeping a journal can be... Read More

Team Work

So much has been written on this subject; Team Work,... Read More

Teamwork, Rowing, & Paddles

Effective and sustainable teambuilding is necessary in today's marketplace where... Read More

Staying Informed Key For Your Team

We exist in such a rapidly-changing environment. Technology is moving... Read More

12 Tips and Reminders for Team Members To Enjoy Their Team Experiences More

12 Tips and Reminders for Team Members To Enjoy Their... Read More

A Team That Gleamed

Too many techies get a bad rap for lacking teamwork... Read More

What College Taught Me About Teamwork Training

I declared a Communications Major two years into school, after... Read More

If You Can?t See It, They Won?t Do It

Recently, while developing a customer service program, I asked my... Read More

Leading To A Preferred Future

Last month's edition of Footprints and Monuments illustrated a parallel... Read More

Top Ten Creative Excursions for Building Effective Teams

The ability to build effective teams is a must for... Read More

Building The Winning Team

Winning teams aren't created by accident. Rather, the team or... Read More

Nine Ways to Contribute to Project Team Success

The world of work has changed. It used to be... Read More

Employee and Coworkers Gifts

Giving gifts to your co-workers or your employees can be... Read More

The Top Ten Methods to Create a Successful Work Team

Teams are often useful in situations where the task cannot... Read More

Working with Difficult People: 3 Questions to Help You Turn Your Tormentors into Teachers

The Dance of ConflictWhen faced with the prospect of meeting... Read More

Putting Your Expert Team Together

As a freelance writer myself, I know how important it... Read More

Top Ten Things About Team Building

People who lead the best teams realise early on that... Read More

Motivate People with Feedback

Someone once said - "Feedback is the breakfast of champions."... Read More

Motivating Teams

Introduction:Working with teams, whether as leader of a single team... Read More

Company Picnic Ideas and Planning Tips

The company picnic is a beloved tradition at many firms.It's... Read More

Effective Team Building for Stronger Teams

TEAM LEADERS WORKSHOPAlice asked Cheshire cat "which road should I... Read More

Motivation - Dont Make Your Team Uncomfortable

The people in your team may feel a bit uncomfortable... Read More

Beyond Brainstorming ? Large Groups

When leaders, consultants and managers require ideas, they automatically tend... Read More

Putting the I in Team

This sports cliche is a memorable phrase that reminds people... Read More

How Does Personal Development Help in Business?

Teams run most businesses and teams work best if each... Read More

Aligning Teams with Organizational Goals

Teams don't have to be aligned with the goals of... Read More