Is Your Team Actually Okay? The Hidden Cost of Showing Up Unwell
- Randa Abbasi
- 7 days ago
- 3 min read
WORKPLACE WELLBEING SERIES - PART 1 OF 2
By Randa Abbasi
Here’s something we see regularly in our work with NZ employers: a staff member who hasn’t taken a single sick day, but something’s clearly off. They’re slower than usual. They’ve gone quiet in meetings. Tasks that used to take an hour are taking half a day. And to be honest, I have had it happen in my own business which got me thinking about how we, and other businesses, manage unplanned leave.
You know when staff are present, but they’re not really there.
This is presenteeism - and in our experience, it’s far more common, and far more costly, than most organisations realise.
The problem with “at least they’re showing up”
Businesses invest heavily in absence management - policies, return-to-work plans, trigger points. All important. But presenteeism flies under the radar because there’s nothing to formally respond to. No leave form. No conversation starter. Just a gradual decline that’s easy to miss or misread as a performance issue.
The reality is that working while unwell - physically or mentally - drains productivity in ways that add up fast. And more importantly, it’s often the beginning of a much bigger problem if nothing changes.
It’s not just about health
Yes, injury, chronic pain, fatigue and mental health are common drivers. But the reasons people push through rather than stepping back are layered:
• Fear of falling behind or letting the team down
• Job security concerns
• Workplace cultures where visibility still signals commitment
• The blurring of home and work in hybrid environments
• Caring responsibilities outside of work
Understanding why someone is struggling, not just that they are - is where the real work begins.
What Occupational Therapy brings to the table
At EnableWorks, our occupational therapists are trained to look at the fit between a person and their work. Not just “can they do the job?” but “what’s making it hard right now, and what would help?”
In practice, that means:
• Understanding the real demands of the role whether it be physical, cognitive, emotional and where the gap is
• Working with the person and the employer to adjust tasks, hours or environment in ways that are actually sustainable
• Supporting pacing strategies for people managing fatigue, pain or mental health alongside work
• Setting honest, functional goals and not pushing for full capacity when someone needs space to recover
• Getting in early, before things reach crisis point
• Understanding health conditions, injuries, or physical and mental health barriers, to empower individuals to understand and take control of their health needs, or help them shift from an ‘illness’ model to a ‘wellness’ model of health.
ACC-funded support and workplace-based early intervention have both shown strong outcomes when the focus shifts from “fit or unfit” to “what does this person need to work well?”
The question worth asking
If someone in your team is struggling to keep up, the most useful question usually isn’t about their attendance record. It’s:
“What’s getting in the way — and is there something we can change?”
That shift in thinking can make a significant difference to outcomes for the individual, and for your organisation.
We work in this space every day
If you’re noticing the signs of presenteeism in your workforce or you’re not sure what you’re seeing, we’d love to help you take a closer look.
📞 0800 622 599
COMING IN OUR NEXT ARTICLE — PART 2 OF 2
When Staying Home is the Right Call: Supporting Absence to Enable Better Returns
Presenteeism and absence are two sides of the same coin. Next fortnight we explore what good absence support actually looks like and how getting it right prevents the cycle from repeating.
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