Returning to work too soon can worsen your health

By Catherine Walker

An editorial published in the British medical Journal warns that the pressure to work through sickness, known as ‘presenteeism’ can have a long term negative effect.

It is particularly important to feel fully recovered after a period of ill-health before returning to the workplace. Certain conditions require more consideration in this respect, in particular depression and migraine although all too often these are not perceived as legitimate reasons for absence from work.

Sociologist, Dr Kevin Dew at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand, believes that evidence suggests that, for many, the pressure to work when sick is intense, and more effort is needed to prevent this health-debilitating behaviour.

Workers for whom work accumulates while they are away from the workplace are more inclined to return too soon. The current recession, fear of layoffs and redundancy are all factors in ‘presenteeism’.

Many other factors can also contribute to the early return to work after illness:-

Working in teams where expectations to be present are high
Limited time allowed for sick leave
High job demands
Fear of dismissal
Concerns over promotion opportunities
Loss of earnings
Work load mounting in your absence

‘Presenteeism is a complex phenomenon that needs to be approached from several different levels including workplace culture, workplace policies and carefully considered interventions from health practitioners’ Dr. Dew said.

‘Certain medical conditions like depression and migraine are also linked with presenteeism because they are not seen as legitimate reasons for absence’ he added.

He suggests that senior staff can help by discouraging over-commitment to work and encouraging workers to allow sufficient recovery time from sickness. It will truly be a wonderful day when we see that happen on a regular basis!