Present And Incorrect

Does your business have a problem with ‘presenteeism’ – when your employees are there, but not engaged?

- Susi Astengo

Disengaged employees are difficult to identify and the financial impact of ‘presenteeism’ may be more difficult to quantify than that of absenteeism. However, companies who wish to remain competitive need to focus their efforts on ensuring the sustainability of their most important assets: their employees.

Estimates from Statistics South Africa show that absenteeism in the workplace costs the South African economy approximately R16 billion per annum. The costs related to an employee’s habitual and intentional absence from work are more than the cost of the employee’s sick leave. The company may have to bring in a temporary replacement, productivity may fall as a result of the burden other staff members have to carry for the workloads of absent employees, and resentment and negativity may result – further influencing productivity.