Beware the dangers of working too much

by Rob Walker
for Virginia Business
November 2005

If you’re one of those workers who think the only way to advance is by being plugged into the job 24/7, think again. While companies want productivity, they’re becoming wary of an all-work lifestyle that has spawned its own catchword: presenteeism.

As defined by the American Psychiatric Association, presenteeism occurs when employees put in unnecessarily long hours, take work home, and fail to take sick leave and vacation time because they see that behavior as admirable. Then they underperform because they are tired, bored, sick, depressed, stressed or distracted by family issues or other problems outside the workplace.

A study in the Harvard Business Review recently estimated that presenteeism costs American business $150 billion a year. It can result in employee medical problems such as depression and substance abuse, leading to higher medical costs.

Managers often set precisely the wrong example, says Richard Coughlan, associate professor of management at the University of Richmond’s Robins School of Business. “They brag about how many
e-mails they’ve received or how late they worked or how they’re never without their BlackBerry.” This leads others to believe they have to be plugged in constantly. “This is an enormous concern to organizations,” adds Coughlan, because presenteeism “has a harmful effect on the entire organization.”

Studies show burned out workers are not productive and they frequently shift the burden of work to others, hurting a team’s morale. So, how can a company guard against presenteeism without discouraging workers from doing their best?

At Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, which employs 4,200 workers in Virginia, managers are being told to give workers different cues. They should clearly state that coming to work ill is “inappropriate and inconsiderate,” says Christine R. Miller, vice president for human resources for the insurance giant’s Southeast region. Anthem provides on-site health care including flu shots and blood pressure screenings. The company discourages employees from working holidays and skipping vacation. Miller even suggests that time off be given as a reward for a job well done. “When you are rested and healthy and engaged,” she says, “we know you’ll do your job well.”

That probably sounds too good to be true to scores of workers who feel they have no choice but to put in long hours when companies lower costs by trimming personnel and resources.

At Richmond’s Owens & Minor, Senior Executive Vice President Hugh Gouldthorpe believes productivity is linked to a “balance in life.” Workers who spend time on the job at the expense of health, family and community, aren’t striking a healthy balance. While companies discourage absenteeism, they don’t want productivity undercut by employees so exhausted that they can’t perform their jobs.