In this overview, let's review some statistics on pre- and post-pandemic absence rates, distinguish absence from absenteeism, and demystify presenteeism.
- According to Statistics Canada
- Permanent employees lost 12.4 days of work in 2022, compared to 10.6 in 2018. In Quebec, these figures are 12.7 days in 2022, and 12.1 three years earlier.
- Temporary employees lost 10 days of work in 2022, compared with 8.2 in 2018.
- Absence and absenteeism
What is the difference between absence and absenteeism? Absence is defined as not being at work when you should be. It is an individual phenomenon.
Absenteeism is less clear-cut. Some identify it as the behaviour of a person who is frequently absent; recurrence is important. Many use the term to refer to the collective, for example, to manage the absence rate of a group of employees. And finally, others refer to absenteeism only in cases of unjustified absence.
Types of absence
Are all absences problematic? Certainly not. Some absences are justified, others are one-offs, while many are foreseeable. How do you classify them?
Classification by duration:
In general, there are short-term absences (from 1 to 3 days), medium-term absences (from 3 to 15 days) and long-term absences (more than 30 days).
Classification according to justification:
- Justified absences include occasional illnesses, maternity/paternity leave, vacation, public holidays, special leave (marriage, death, moving), and doctor-certified sick leave.
- Unjustified absences are those taken without notice and without a medical note. They are not authorized.
The cost of absences for companies
According to Statistics Canada, absenteeism costs companies over $16 billion a year. At the same time, university studies estimate the cost of absences for Quebec companies at 20% of total payroll.
Direct and indirect costs
Direct costs include the salary paid to the absent employee, the salary of replacement staff, insurance premiums, as well as the cost of disability insurance where applicable.
Indirect costs refer to loss of productivity, loss of knowledge, high staff turnover due to work overloads, not to mention the difficulties inherent in reintegrating employees following a prolonged absence.
Negative effects on companies
- Company image may be affected.
- It becomes more difficult to recruit talent.
- The knock-on effect of departures can be costly in terms of lost expertise.
- Presenteeism
Presenteeism is a relatively new phenomenon. It emerged in the 90s and is characterized by an employee's physical presence at work, despite a physical or mental state that prevents them from being fully productive.
Types of presenteeism
Researchers Caroline Biron of Université Laval and Maria Karanika-Murray of Nottingham Trent University in the UK have defined four types of presenteeism: excessive, dysfunctional, therapeutic and functional. What are they?
- Excessive presenteeism is often found among employees with a work addiction. Despite medical advice to rest, these employees persist in their desire to perform, further deteriorating their health and prolonging the time needed for recovery.
- Dysfunctional presenteeism occurs in individuals with few resources and few means to make the changes required in their work environment. Their health deteriorates as much as their performance.
- Therapeutic presenteeism is frequently used as part of an employee's return-to-work plan following prolonged sick leave. Step by step reintegration aims first at functional presenteeism, with productivity coming eventually.
- The term functional presenteeism is used when a sick employee continues to work while maintaining or gradually improving their health. This is possible when conditions are favourable.
Food for thought
- In order to encourage functional presenteeism, it is advisable to reorganize certain tasks, offer the possibility of working part-time or consider flexible working hours. Hybrid work is one such possibility.
- The manager's role is essential. Meeting with the employee, redefining their priorities according to their actual abilities, and formulating clear expectations with realistic objectives all contribute to their recovery.
- Promoting a positive work environment where psychological health is preserved is a must. Surrounded by supportive colleagues, an ill employee is more likely to make a full recovery.
- Rethink bonus policies. Since most illness absences are caused by stress, anxiety, adjustment disorders and burnout, it is advisable to reward good behaviour rather than performance and attendance, since the latter encourage presenteeism as a strategy.
- Finally, since presenteeism is the precursor to absenteeism - which is also more costly - we need to manage it as a priority, even if it is a challenge!
At Bedard Human Resources, we can help you manage absenteeism and presenteeism in your teams. Contact Stéphane Pépin for more information on our HR consulting services.
