Leavism

The CIPD/SimplyHealth report, Health and wellbeing at work, identified another problem with similar roots to presenteeism, but which is less well recognised, “leavism”. This refers to people using their annual leave, time off in lieu (TOIL) or banked flexi hours to work when they are actually unwell. Among 1,000 surveyed HR professionals, 69% reported leavism in their organisation over the previous year.

Rachel Suff, CIPD senior employment relations adviser said: “Increasingly the threats to wellbeing in the modern workplace are psychological rather than physical, and yet too few organisations are discouraging unhealthy workplace practices and tackling stress, which is strongly linked to health conditions such as anxiety and depression. In order to encourage a healthy workplace, organisations need to look beyond sickness absence rates alone and develop a solid, evidence-based understanding of the underlying causes of work-related stress and unhealthy behaviour like presenteeism. Without this evidence base, efforts to support employees and improve their health and wellbeing will be short-lived.”