South: IQTimecard reveals alarming stats on presenteeism

Almost half of UK workers come in to work despite being ill, according to recent research from One4all Rewards.

In its 'Health in the Workplace Report' the company reveals that a huge 40% of UK employees have not called in sick over the past 12 months. This is despite the fact that 11% of surveyed respondents admitted to being unwell as a result of their occupations.

The findings fall into line with the latest statistics from Nottingham Trent University that suggest the ‘sickness presenteeism’ trend is having a negative impact on job satisfaction and work engagement within the UK workforce.

So why are employees heading to the office when they’re feeling under the weather? The report revealed that 28% of workers feel pressured by bosses to turn up even when ill.

“People may disengage from work when ill, but still feel a need to work because they are physically present in the workplace,” explained Maria Karanika-Murray, a psychologist at Nottingham Trent University’s School of Social Sciences.

By actively recording clock in and out times, IQTimecard (intelligent remote workforce management technology) offers employers an accurate overview of exactly how many hours employees are racking up. If hours reach unhealthily high levels, particularly when staff are feeling or acting ill, managers can use the data to take immediate action.

David Lynes, director of IQTimecard, said: “Presenteeism is an alarming trend and it’s a dire reflection on British bosses that employees feel they have to work when they’re not feeling up to it. At IQTimecard we believe that honesty, understanading and effective management are the keys to combating the issue and creating better workplaces for the nation’s employees. Our remote management software helps HR managers do just this and should be considered a proactive step towards taking responsibility for staff health and wellbeing.”