Predicting the subjective health of employees working while ill

Abstract

Background: Presenteeism is the act of working while ill. There are concerns related to how this behavior affects employee health. The aim of this study was to investigate if presentees´ subjective health could be predicted by work engagement and attendance pressure, which was interpreted as potential positive and negative motives toward presenteeism. Methods: Cross-sectional survey data were collected measuring presenteeism days, subjective health, work engagement and four attendance pressure factors. The sample consisted of 205 Norwegian workers from different industries, who had had presenteeism during the last six months. Findings: Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the number of presenteeism days (β=–.27, p < .01) and work engagement (β=.24, p < .01) predicted subjective health. None of the four attendance pressure factors predicted subjective health significantly. Discussion: It seems like the motives for presenteeism do not necessarily relate to the consequences of the behavior. Work engagement may contribute to good health or vice versa, and could be a buffer against negative health effects from working while ill. For a deeper understanding and confirmation of these interpretations, longitudinal studies are needed.