Why are my employees not working? 3 easy ways to win the fight against “presenteeism”

What is the biggest productivity challenge small business owners and leaders need to solve this year? presenteeism. This newly coined term means that there is a Body in the building, but mind it is elsewhere. For a variety of reasons, your talented employees show up at the workplace, but they aren’t producing results. Here are 3 ways you can win the fight against presenteeism in your small business.

Presenteeism has been reported to account for 80 percent of lost productivity and cost organizations in the United States more than $105 billion a year. Clearly, it is a problem to have a group of employees who are not working, even though they are “at” work.

Some claim that the average worker wastes more than two hours each day, that’s a loss of 10 hours per employee each week! So if employees are at work, but not working, what exactly are they doing? Well, they’re on the Internet, distracted, chatting with colleagues, or rearranging their desk.

As a leader or manager in a small business, you they can win the war against presenteeism. Consider implementing the following 3 changes to permanently solve the presenteeism challenge.

  1. Reward for results, not time.
  2. When you switch to rewarding people for the results they produce, rather than the time they spend, presenteeism will decrease. By giving employees control over how long they work, they will be more productive, work more efficiently, and get their work done quickly so they can get out and get on with their lives. They will stop wasting time in the office on Facebook, spending more time in the break room, or having an extra long lunch.

  3. Provide unlimited paid time off.
  4. Many people come to work when they shouldn’t: they’re sick, they have a serious family problem, or they’re just having a bad day. Their mind is not focused on the job, they are only operating at a fraction of their normal capacity and are more prone to mistakes. However, they felt they had to come, they didn’t have a sick day, no paid time off, and they didn’t want to take a vacation day. Another way to solve the presenteeism challenge is to offer all employees unlimited time off. If you have implemented the first suggestion, the focus of your business has shifted from time invested to results produced. If your employee needs a day off, they can take one. As long as they do their job, they control their time. When you provide unlimited paid time off, if an employee is sick, dealing with a family crisis or feeling burned out, they can take a day or two to themselves, no questions asked. As long as results are achieved in a timely manner, there is no need to force employees to show up for a day of work when their mind is elsewhere. Let them save work for a day when they know they can focus and be productive.

  5. Talk to your employees about their work on a regular basis.
  6. Don’t wait until the year-end performance review. Talk about how things are going, what aspects of their work are working and what aren’t, and give feedback on the results they are producing. Involve your employees in decisions about how their work will be carried out, who they will work with, and what activities are required. Research has shown that when you set reasonably challenging goals and provide clear and frequent feedback, employees will find almost any job attractive. Talk to your employees about their work on a regular basis and they will be more aware of the work they are doing.

Presenteeism is a serious, growing and costly problem for small businesses. To maintain a healthy workplace, increase worker productivity, and prevent unnecessary mistakes, a solution must be found. When you reward results rather than time, provide unlimited time off, and talk to your employees regularly about their jobs, you’ll successfully solve the challenge of presenteeism.

©Copyright 2009 Ashley Acker

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