- Barely a month later, the world was bracing for a pandemic that would inadvertently create the largest (forced) working experiment of all time.
- What we found was that working from home didn’t solve any problems, it merely moved them to a different location.
- We first coined the term “leaveism” in 2013 to explain some previously undescribed workplace practices:
using allocated time off such as annual leave entitlements, flexi hours banked, re-rostered rest days and so on, to take time off when they are in fact unwell
using these leave entitlements to look after dependents, including children or elderly relatives (rather than for rest and recuperation)
taking work home that cannot be completed in normal working hours (due to excessive workload)
working while not at work, on leave or holiday to catch up (or keep up!).
As you can probably imagine, the pandemic and related lockdowns and restrictions to working practices had a significant impact on all of these practices. It also affected those ascribed to “presenteeism”, which is when you go into work but aren’t operating at your full potential because you’re unwell.
Read more:
Why workers in small businesses can struggle with mental health and 'presenteeism'
Finding a new normal
- Many firms will find that the most suitable option is highly idiosyncratic, depending on the organisation, its employees, industry and many other individual factors.
- But those choices are also likely to make a big difference to levels of sickness absence, presenteeism and leaveism in today’s organisations.
- Indeed, the speculations we made about taking work home in February 2020 are all pretty much the norm now, according to our latest research.
How to help people be happy at work
- And there are ways to help negate the impacts of these practices, both on the workforce and on businesses.
- Whether a line manager works in the same physical space as their employee or not, good leadership is key.
- That is, to understand how their employees are feeling and thinking about things that have an impact on their lives.
New working patterns
- When the latter occurs, you may witness the emergence of leaveism and presenteeism.
- Having said all of this, employees are facing extraordinary challenges during this uncertain period for working lives.
- Organisations are managing shifts in policy in respect of remote versus office working.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
