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‘I’m dragging myself to my desk every day’: Why presenteeism is alive and well – even during a pandemic

As research shows that lockdown has triggered a worrying rise in 'showing face', Olivia Petter examines why people are working through sickness

Thursday 11 June 2020 15:56 BST
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In the weeks leading up to lockdown, marketing executive Gaby*, 27, was sent home with coronavirus symptoms. “They told me not to work if I felt really awful. But I had loads of projects that I didn’t want to get behind on, so I just carried on working from home in bed.” Two weeks later, Gaby, who suffers from asthma, was very unwell with a severe cough. “I had a fever and it became really difficult to work.” She took two days off. “I was worried that if I took any more, I might be made redundant, as one of my colleagues just had.” More than two months later, Gaby is still suffering from Covid-19 symptoms. She has not taken any more time off.

Gaby’s behaviour is a classic case of presenteeism, the practice of working (or appearing to work) through illness out of job insecurity, and it’s become increasingly common in the pandemic. Last month, a survey of 2,000 people conducted by financial services firm Canada Life found that one in three Britons have continued to work in lockdown despite being unwell. The reasons were varied, but almost half of those surveyed said they felt pressured to work through sickness due to fears of being made redundant.

One in four also admitted to feeling the need to prove they have been working every day and the same number have confessed to checking in with their line managers or colleagues more often in order to do so. Such behaviour was found to be more common among young people. A separate study conducted by YouGov on behalf of Reframe Healthcare also found that nearly half (47 per cent) of UK adults feel uncomfortable disclosing health concerns with their employers during the coronavirus outbreak. Again, the reasons were fear of retribution.

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