Survey: Presenteeism on the Rise

Presenteeism, or workers who see “being present” as their top priority, is up 3 percentage points from 2011 to 22 percent, according to a new survey.

Chicago — Oct. 29

Presenteeism is on the rise in U.S. workplaces, according to the latest StressPulseSM survey by ComPsych Corp., a provider of employee assistance programs.

“As employers continue to take a wait-and-see approach when it comes to hiring, people who currently have jobs — many of whom have taken on extra work — are starting to show signs of prolonged stress,” said Richard A. Chaifetz, chairman and CEO of ComPsych.

Key Findings of StressPulse:

Presenteeism, or workers who see “being present” as their top priority, is up 3 percentage points from 2011 to 22 percent.

Thirty six percent of employees lose an hour or more per day at work due to stress.

Stress/personal relationship issues is the No. 1 reason for absences, continuing to outpace personal illness and caregiving.

The StressPulse survey was conducted from Sept. 3 to Oct. 1, with responses from 1,880 employees in the U.S.

Source: ComPsych Corporation