Impact on employee productivity from presenteeism and absenteeism: evidence from a multinational firm in Sri Lanka

Objective: This study examines the effects of 13 psychological and physical health conditions on work productivity. Methods: One hundred fifty-two staff at the headquarters of a Sri Lankan multinational firm completed a questionnaire asking whether they experienced 13 health conditions common in workplaces, and about absenteeism and presenteeism that they attributed to these conditions. Results: Most respondents (85.5%) reported absenteeism, presenteeism or both. Among those reporting symptoms of a health condition, 57.6% reported losing days due to absenteeism, and 69.5% reported losing additional days due to presenteeism. Among those caring for a sick adult or child, 57.3% reported losing days due to absenteeism, and 36.5% reported losing additional days due to presenteeism. Overall productivity loss was about 10.43 days each year, 3.95% of employee capacity, equating to about SLR 8 million (US$54,421) for all headquarters employees. Conclusions: The health conditions' effects on productivity significantly increased employee costs.