Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Occupational health: How to control presenteeism

Going to work when
feeling sick can be
costly for companies.
The right occupational health and safety measures can help manage presenteeism and productivity

Presenteeism – a term that describes an employee coming to work despite feeling ill or unwell – can affect not only the affected person’s productivity but it can have other impacts on the workplace as well.

A sick employee can spread the infection or disease at work, can disturb others and can bring down overall productivity.

Studies have shown that presenteeism can cost companies billions of dollars and even though the term has been talked about quite a bit, managers are often at a loss about how to handle it.

How can presenteeism be managed?

The term presenteeism applies to two different kinds of employee behaviors:
  1. When employees come to work sick or tired and may be less effective because they are stressed, depressed, suffering from headaches or a chronic physical disorder
  2. When employees work excessively long hours because they are over-committed to the job or have a fear of losing it

Organizations should be aware that physical conditions often have a psychological connection, studies show.

In many instances, employees with chronic conditions hesitate to tell their employers for fear of stigma, loss of employment or general distrust of managers.

Experts suggest developing a working culture that allows employees to experience optimum well-being. 

Organizations must provide a culture that respects the rights and responsibilities of both employees and employers, they say, and certain strategies may help to improve communication, trust and cooperation.

Source: Personnel Today

A better work environment for healthier employees

Electrocorp's RAP series:
Carbon + HEPA filtration
The right working culture is important, but a healthy work environment also takes good indoor air quality and other health-related factors into account.

Cleaner and healthier air has been shown to have a positive impact on productivity, sickness and the occurrence of presenteeism at the workplace.

Indoor air at work can be teeming with airborne bacteria, viruses, mold, chemicals, odors, particles and allergens that can affect employees’ health and well-being.

Electrocorp has developed portable and powerful air cleaners with activated carbon and HEPA as well as optional UV germicidal filtration to treat the widest range of indoor air pollutants.

Among the many industrial and commercial applications are

The air cleaners are made for 24/7 air purification, minimal maintenance and maximum protection.

Contact Electrocorp for more information and options.

1 comment:

  1. Workplace health and safety procedures are necessary for the well-being of both employers and employees. Violence in the workplace is an ever-growing concern in today’s business community. Diseases and other health concerns also affect a worker's ability to effectively perform his job duties. Thanks.

    http://www.chemcentre.wa.gov.au/Services/Analytical-testing-services/Occupational-Hygiene.aspx

    ReplyDelete