The COVID-19 pandemic means that many organizations are under considerable pressure to remain productive and profitable. Although reducing the cost of sickness absence may seem a priority, there is growing evidence that sickness presenteeism (continuing to work when unwell) is far more costly than absenteeism [1,2]. It is therefore crucial to highlight the wide-ranging costs of presenteeism for individuals and organization, the factors that encourage it, and the additional risks posed by the pandemic. How organizations can reduce the incidence and damage caused by presenteeism should also be considered. To some extent, sickness presenteeism can be beneficial, as work provides structure, builds self-esteem and offers opportunities for social engagement and support. Presenteeism can also be therapeutic, as a managed approach can help employees return to work gradually following sickness absence. Nonetheless, there is extensive evidence that working while unwell can delay rather than expedite recovery and increase the risk of future health problems and sickness absence [3,4]. Studies have also found that presenteeism can impair productivity and result in errors, accidents and injuries to the employee, their co-workers and the public [2,5]. Moreover, the findings that people frequently continue to work while experiencing infectious diseases [6] raise particularly serious concerns for public health during the current pandemic.
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