IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i6p3389-d770380.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Sickness Presenteeism in Prison Officers: Risk Factors and Implications for Wellbeing and Productivity

Author

Listed:
  • Gail Kinman

    (Department of Organizational Psychology, School of Business, Economics and Informatics, Birkbeck, University of London, London WC1E 7JL, UK)

  • Andrew J. Clements

    (Aston Business School, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ER, UK)

Abstract

Sickness presenteeism involves employees continuing to work while unwell. As presenteeism is influenced by contextual and individual difference factors, it is important to assess its prevalence and implications for wellbeing and productivity in different occupational groups. This study examines these issues in a sample of prison officers working in UK institutions. Data were obtained from a survey of 1956 prison officers. Measures assessed the prevalence of and reasons for presenteeism and the perceived impact on job performance, along with mental health and perceptions of workplace safety climate. More than nine respondents out of ten (92%) reported working while unwell at least sometimes, with 43% reporting that they always did so. Presenteeism frequency was significantly related to mental health symptoms, impaired job performance and a poorer workplace safety climate. The reasons provided for presenteeism explained 31% of the variance in self-reported mental health, 34% in job performance and 17% in workplace safety climate, but the pattern of predictors varied according to the outcome. The findings can be used to inform interventions at the organisational and individual levels to encourage a ‘healthier’ approach to sickness absence, with likely benefits for staff wellbeing, job performance and workplace safety climate.

Suggested Citation

  • Gail Kinman & Andrew J. Clements, 2022. "Sickness Presenteeism in Prison Officers: Risk Factors and Implications for Wellbeing and Productivity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-10, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:6:p:3389-:d:770380
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/6/3389/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/6/3389/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Philippe Askenazy & Damien Cartron, 2020. "When Preventing Absenteeism Fuels Long‐Sickness Leave: The Case of a Leading Operator for Local Transport Services," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 58(1), pages 199-223, March.
    2. Karanika-Murray, Maria & Pontes, Halley M. & Griffiths, Mark D. & Biron, Caroline, 2015. "Sickness presenteeism determines job satisfaction via affective-motivational states," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 100-106.
    3. Mark L. Bryan & Andrew M. Bryce & Jennifer Roberts, 2020. "Presenteeism in the UK: Effects of physical and mental health on worker productivity," Working Papers 2020005, The University of Sheffield, Department of Economics.
    4. Skagen, Kristian & Collins, Alison M., 2016. "The consequences of sickness presenteeism on health and wellbeing over time: A systematic review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 169-177.
    5. Kivimäki, M. & Head, J. & Ferrie, J.E. & Hemingway, H. & Shipley, M.J. & Vahtera, J. & Marmot, M.G., 2005. "Working while III as a risk factor for serious coronary events: The whitehall II study," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 95(1), pages 98-102.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Thomas Leoni & René Böheim, 2018. "Fehlzeitenreport 2018. Krankheits- und unfallbedingte Fehlzeiten in Österreich – Präsentismus und Absentismus," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 61487, April.
    2. Mario Lackner & Hendrik Sonnabend, 2023. "Presenteeism when employers are under pressure: evidence from a high‐stakes environment," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 90(358), pages 477-507, April.
    3. Marvin Reuter & Morten Wahrendorf & Cristina Di Tecco & Tahira M. Probst & Sascha Ruhle & Valerio Ghezzi & Claudio Barbaranelli & Sergio Iavicoli & Nico Dragano, 2019. "Do Temporary Workers More Often Decide to Work While Sick? Evidence for the Link between Employment Contract and Presenteeism in Europe," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-17, May.
    4. Sylvie Hamon-Cholet & Joseph Lanfranchi, 2019. "Le présentéisme au travail. Mieux évaluer pour mieux prévenir," Working Papers halshs-02170962, HAL.
    5. Francisco Rodríguez-Cifuentes & Samuel Fernández-Salinero & Juan Antonio Moriano & Gabriela Topa, 2020. "Presenteeism, Overcommitment, Workplace Bullying, and Job Satisfaction: A Moderated Mediation Relationship," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-13, November.
    6. Petri Böckerman & Erkki Laukkanen, 2008. "What makes you work while you are sick? Evidence from a survey of union member," Working Papers 244, Työn ja talouden tutkimus LABORE, The Labour Institute for Economic Research LABORE.
    7. Klas Gustafsson & Staffan Marklund & Constanze Leineweber & Gunnar Bergström & Emmanuel Aboagye & Magnus Helgesson, 2020. "Presenteeism, Psychosocial Working Conditions and Work Ability among Care Workers—A Cross-Sectional Swedish Population-Based Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-12, April.
    8. Gunnar Bergström & Klas Gustafsson & Emmanuel Aboagye & Staffan Marklund & Gunnar Aronsson & Christina Björklund & Constanze Leineweber, 2020. "A Resourceful Work Environment Moderates the Relationship between Presenteeism and Health. A Study Using Repeated Measures in the Swedish Working Population," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-14, June.
    9. Helen Collins & Susan Barry & Piotr Dzuga, 2022. "‘Working While Feeling Awful Is Normal’: One Roma’s Experience of Presenteeism," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 36(2), pages 362-371, April.
    10. Marina Taloyan & Gunnar Aronsson & Constanze Leineweber & Linda Magnusson Hanson & Kristina Alexanderson & Hugo Westerlund, 2012. "Sickness Presenteeism Predicts Suboptimal Self-Rated Health and Sickness Absence: A Nationally Representative Study of the Swedish Working Population," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(9), pages 1-8, September.
    11. David Candon, 2019. "The joint effect of health shocks and eligibility for social security on labor supply," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 20(7), pages 969-988, September.
    12. Claire Oliveira & Makeila Saka & Lauren Bone & Rowena Jacobs, 2023. "The Role of Mental Health on Workplace Productivity: A Critical Review of the Literature," Applied Health Economics and Health Policy, Springer, vol. 21(2), pages 167-193, March.
    13. Petri Bockerman & Erkki Laukkanen, 2009. "Presenteeism in Finland: Determinants By Gender and The Sector of Economy," Ege Academic Review, Ege University Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, vol. 9(3), pages 1007-1016.
    14. Takahiro Mori & Tomohisa Nagata & Masako Nagata & Kiminori Odagami & Koji Mori, 2022. "Perceived Supervisor Support for Health Affects Presenteeism: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-10, April.
    15. Ana Junça-Silva & Sónia Silva & António Caetano, 2022. "Job crafting, meaningful work and performance: a moderated mediation approach of presenteeism," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 2(4), pages 1-21, April.
    16. Cathy J. Bradley & David Neumark & Zhehui Luo & Heather L. Bednarek, 2007. "Employment‐contingent health insurance, illness, and labor supply of women: evidence from married women with breast cancer," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 16(7), pages 719-737, July.
    17. Kin Cheung & Mimi M. Y. Tse & Chi Kan Wong & Kwan Wai Mui & Siu Kan Lee & Ka Yan Ma & Keith T. S. Tung & Echo Ping Woi Lau, 2019. "The Effectiveness of a Multidisciplinary Exercise Program in Managing Work-Related Musculoskeletal Symptoms for Low-Skilled Workers in the Low-Income Community: A Pre-Post-Follow-Up Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-11, May.
    18. Daniel Kim, 2017. "Paid Sick Leave and Risks of All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality among Adult Workers in the USA," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-10, October.
    19. Svetlana Lakiša & Linda Matisāne & Inese Gobiņa & Hans Orru & Ivars Vanadziņš, 2022. "Sickness Presenteeism among Employees Having Workplace Conflicts—Results from Pooled Analyses in Latvia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-12, August.
    20. Hansen, Claus D. & Andersen, Johan H., 2008. "Going ill to work - What personal circumstances, attitudes and work-related factors are associated with sickness presenteeism?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(6), pages 956-964, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:6:p:3389-:d:770380. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.