Unhealthy and present: Motives and consequences of the act of presenteeism among Taiwanese employees.

Abstract

The aim of this study was twofold: first, to delineate the underlying motives of the act of presenteeism and develop suitable measures for both the motives and the behavioral manifestation of the act; second, to systematically examine work and health consequences of the act of presenteeism in a Chinese work context. Using structured questionnaires, we employed a 2-wave panel study design in which antecedents, motives, and consequences of the act of presenteeism were measured in a diverse sample of 245 full-time Chinese employees in Taiwan. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that self-efficacy and neuroticism were significantly associated with approach and avoidance motives for the act of presenteeism, respectively. Moreover, analyzing the panel data with fixed effects specifications, we found that the act of presenteeism was negatively associated with employees' physical health, mental health, and job satisfaction, whereas it was positively associated with exhaustion. In conclusion, the present study shed some light on motives, behavioral manifestations, antecedents, and consequences of the act of presenteeism to extend the existing literature.