Through sickness and health? A qualitative investigation into the decision to work whilst sick and the consequences for employee well-being

Presenteeism，即在生病时工作的行为，是一种全球现象，越来越受到学者和从业者的关注。这种兴趣的上升源于对精神和身体健康的有害后果的证据，包括焦虑和抑郁的风险增加。研究还强调了出勤对员工绩效的重大影响，这是一个经常被组织忽视的问题，尽管有人认为成本超过了缺勤带来的成本。由于COVID-19，出席在公共领域变得越来越突出。在这里，我们看到了越来越多的需要让病人留在家里以遏制职业蔓延，同时组织保持盈利的压力越来越大，这可能导致组织旨在降低与病假相关的成本。由于许多雇员也面临持续的工作不安全感，个人可能会继续工作，因为担心如果他们缺席的后果。由于这些风险因素，迫切需要更好地了解人们如何决定在生病时工作以及对健康的影响。有一个丰富的研究机构探索的前因和相关的出勤，但是，有一个缺乏关注的个人内部的过程和动态触发的行为。除此之外，现有的证据表明，出勤的后果产生了混合的结果，大多数研究集中在与工作相关的负面结果，而不舒服。本研究将采用多方法的定性设计，探讨决策过程驱动出勤及其后果的福祉。具体而言，研究将联合收割机深度半结构化访谈与质性日记相结合。这将使人们对这种动态行为的生活体验有丰富而独特的见解，包括生病时工作可能是一种可持续的选择。通过捕捉出勤的生活经验，这项研究将提供对心理健康的影响以及如何管理这些结果的重要见解，但同样，提供了对出勤如何以及何时可以导致有益结果的更好理解。通过确认COVID-19可能对患病期间工作的决定产生重大影响和影响，这项研究还将为组织提供实用知识，指导他们如何在我们摆脱疫情时管理出勤。

Presenteeism, the act of working whilst sick, is a global phenomenon of increasing interest to scholars and practitioners alike. This rise in interest stems from evidence of detrimental consequences to both mental and physical well-being, including an increased risk of anxiety and depression. Research has also emphasised the significant impact of presenteeism on employee performance, an issue that is often overlooked by organisations, despite suggestions that the costs outweigh those stemming from absenteeism. Due to COVID-19, presenteeism has become increasingly salient in the public domain. Here we see the tensions between an increasing need to keep sick people at home to curb occupational spread, alongside a rising pressure on organisations to remain profitable, that could result in organisations aiming to reduce the costs associated with sickness absence. With many employees also facing ongoing job insecurity, individuals may continue to work due to a fear of the consequences if they are absent. Due to these risk factors, there is an urgent need to better understand how someone comes to decide to work whilst sick and the consequences to well-being. There is a rich body of research exploring the antecedents and correlates of presenteeism, however, there is a lack of focus on intra-individual processes and dynamics triggering the behaviour. In addition to this, existing evidence of the consequences of presenteeism has produced mixed findings, with the majority of research concentrating on the negative outcomes associated with working whilst unwell. This study will employ a multi-method qualitative design to explore the decision-making processes driving presenteeism and its consequences for well-being. Specifically, the research will combine in-depth semi-structured interviews with qualitative diaries. This will enable a rich and unique insight into the lived experience of this dynamic behaviour, including when working whilst sick may be a sustainable choice. By capturing lived experiences of presenteeism, this research will offer valuable insights into the effects on mental health and crucially how these outcomes can be managed, but equally, offer an enhanced understanding of how and when presenteeism can lead to beneficial outcomes. By acknowledging that COVID-19 may have a significant impact and influence on the decision to work while sick, this research will also provide practical knowledge to organisations on how they can manage presenteeism as we emerge from the pandemic.