Antecedents of physical sickness presenteeism during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Physical sickness presenteeism––the behaviour of going to work despite being ill––constitutes a threat to organizations because it puts the health of their members at risk. Herein, we shed light on potential antecedents of physical sickness presenteeism during COVID-19. Specifically, we test several pre-registered hypotheses suggesting relations of (inter-individual) personality dimensions (e.g. Honesty-Humility, Emotionality, Empathy) and COVID-19-related situational perceptions (e.g. Perceived Risk, Trust in Government) with physical sickness presenteeism. To test our hypotheses, we use both panel (N = 660) and cross-sectional (N = 1,959) survey data collected between mid-2020 and early 2021 in Denmark. Results from logistic random effects regression analyses show that individuals with higher levels of Emotionality engaged more often in physical sickness presenteeism. Further, individuals with higher levels of Honesty-Humility engaged less often in physical sickness presenteeism in times with COVID-19-related workplace restrictions. In general, the findings provide insights into what organizations and policy makers should focus on in order to mitigate physical sickness presenteeism in pandemic times.