What is Presenteeism?

The BBC recently ran a feature on Presenteeism. Presenteeism is when you come in to work more than you need to - for example working longer hours or coming in even when you are sick. It can have significant consequences, such as

• Ill health
• Poorer quality of life
• Reduced productivity at work.

 If you find that you are working much more than required then ask you yourself the following 3 questions:

1. Do I really need to work this many hours? Would the consequences of me working fewer hours really be so detrimental? Specify what you think are the problems that might be caused and the benefits that might ensue for you if you worked fewer hours . Which are more significant - the problems or the benefits?

2. What are my options? What ways are there for you to manage your time so that you work more reasonable hours? Is it possible for you to explore any of the options further or to try them out for a short time to see if they improve your situation?

3. What am I going to do? Set yourself a specific action or actions to try out so that you can see what difference(s) it makes to your wellbeing and quality of life. Possible actions might include consciously cutting down on the excess hours you spend working or exploring alternative jobs or roles or setting actions to help you prioritise your health. Pick an option which is likely to give you as good a balance as you can achieve between ensuring that your basic needs are met and improving your quality of life.

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