According to the Department of Labor, productivity is the measure of economic performance that indicates how efficiently inputs are converted into outputs. When an employee is away from work due to an illness, there will likely be a case of poor productivity.
Amidst this pandemic, there has been an overall increase in productivity. Flexible modern working practices have also increased daily job demands, requiring employees to multi-task and leading to increased levels of workplace stress and unrealistic time pressures.
These advancements have not only led to increased levels of sickness absence but also to the emergence of a phenomenon called ‘presenteeism’ when employees attend work while in suboptimal health.
To understand the relationship between health and wellbeing of staff and productivity, an organisation must look into a lot of factors. These include:
1. Job and workplace-related factors including aspects of the work environment such as work
demands, work relationships, and corporate attitudes towards health and wellbeing
2. Personal factors, which are related to personal attitudes to work and absence, and individual behaviour, such as lifestyle and mental-health factors
3. Health and physical factors include existing health conditions as well as physical factors such as blood pressure or cholesterol levels
A study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine finds that contributing to wellness programs can boost productivity levels among employees and save money for their employers.
Companies should make sure that employees health and well-being are taken care of so that they can meet their organisational goals by improving productivity.
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