News: Performance Management
Being present does not guarantee being productive
24 April 2008
Bosses are being warned that employee 'preseteeism' could have a detrimental effect on business.
A new report by employee wellbeing specialist Right Corecare has found that 40 per cent of staff stay in the office longer than is necessary, with 16 per cent admitting to doing it in order to appear hard-working.
Just over 20 per cent of respondents under the age of 45 believed that longer workers are seen as harder workers, while the figure falls to 10 per cent for those over 45.
The research also discovered that 24 per cent spent time surfing the internet and half that number arrived at work early and left late when they had little to do.
Adrienne Heeley, director of work/life services at Right Corecare, believes staff may be worried about the security of their jobs and may want to visibly impress their superiors, which may not necessarily result in better productivity.
"This 'jacket-on-the-back-of-the-chair' approach is counterproductive - it has a detrimental effect on the employee's well-being, the productivity of the business and the UK economy as a whole," she said.
Presenteeism can also involve employees coming to work when they are ill.
