Absenteeism, presenteeism and leaveism

Hesketh, Ian (2024) Absenteeism, presenteeism and leaveism. In: Elgar Encyclopedia of Occupational Health Psychology :. Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd., Cheltenham, pp. 1-3. ISBN 9781035313372

Abstract

The subject of absenteeism is multifaceted, widely interpreted and highly dependent on context and consequences. It was also subject to being turned upside down during the COVID-19 pandemic, with no reliable measurement as to the real impact on work. Presenteeism, in its basic form, is the practice of employees working whilst they are unwell and/or working unnecessarily long hours. Leaveism was developed to describe a gap in employee behaviours not populated by those in sickness absence or presenteeism. The importance of these aspects of working life is largely down to the costs to both business and society. Lost productivity, poor performance, staff replacement costs, medical and insurance costs, disability, and health risks, all impact heavily on people and organisations. This entry details the three phenomena and provides insight into how they play out in working life.