- Remote workers logged longer days during the COVID-19 pandemic than ever before, but more hours don’t necessarily boost productivity.
- Overworking can lead to presenteeism, a phenomenon where a worker is less engaged, or not at their best, despite being at work.
- Fatigued or distracted workers cost employers billions each year.
Problem 1: Looking busy is different than being busy.
Workers during the pandemic increased their work day by nearly 40% in the US, or an extra three hours per day. That means
Americans were working 11-hour days, which was far more than what workers were logging in the office.
Problem 2: It doesn’t save money and actually costs employers.
The Harvard Business Review coined the phenomenon “presenteeism.” This refers to when employees show up to work despite not being at their best. Whether it’s due to illness, lack-of-focus, or other medical conditions, productivity suffers when workers aren’t fully there. And presenteeism can cost companies:
How employees and companies can fix this
Despite research showing that workers can remain productive at home, companies are calling for workers to come back to the office to beef up creativity and return to some form of normalcy.
Fixing presenteeism starts with
offering leeway for all employees. If managers aren’t feeling great, they should stay home and not work through illness. By staying at home, it sends a message to employees that if you’re not on your A-game, it’s best to sit the day out and recharge at home.
— Kyle Schnitzer
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This article originally appeared on Ladders.