Workplace Attendance Research Articles

Managing SARS-CoV-2 transmission risk in workplace COVID-19 outbreaks.

A Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) workplace outbreak is a risk to the health of workers and business continuity. To minimise this risk, companies have implemented risk management measures (RMMs) designed to mitigate SARS-CoV-2 transmission within the workforce. The objective of this work was to gather insights into the application of RMMs in non-healthcare workplaces and to improve understanding of the practical barriers to their implementation. Data were collected using a pre-designed framework from 12 volunteer workplaces through discussions with staff responsible for site safety and during site visits to observe the RMMs and work processes. To evaluate ventilation effectiveness, measurements for carbon dioxide (CO2) were taken during the site visit and logged over an extended period in selected occupied areas. RMMs that were implemented well included working at home for office and other non-production staff, provision, and use of face coverings, provision for hand hygiene, and as methods became commonly available, carrying out testing for infected people. However, maintaining adequate physical distancing in many production areas proved difficult because established factory layouts cannot be easily changed and there is often a need for workers to be close to each other to communicate. A major shortcoming identified was the understanding and application of measures to improve workplace ventilation. Rapidly installing and/or upgrading mechanical ventilation systems during a pandemic may not be practical and ideally should be considered in building design. Measuring CO2 in occupied workspaces proved to be a useful tool for identifying areas with potentially inadequate ventilation. Preventing workplace attendance by identifying infected individuals is challenging, making effective RMMs crucial to mitigating virus transmission. The effectiveness of individual RMMs can be uncertain; therefore, it is necessary to adopt multilayered RMMs. Successful implementation relies on measures that are specific to individual workplaces, identified by accurate risk assessment, regularly reviewed for effectiveness, and worker compliance. Establishing suitable risk mitigation policies and providing staff supervision are vital to ensure the sustained and effective implementation of RMMs. For RMMs that require technical understanding, such as workplace ventilation systems, specialist support may be necessary to ensure effective implementation.

Remote work and location preferences: a study of post-pandemic trends in Italy

This study investigates how working remotely, by reducing workplace commuting, weakens the limitations connected to residential mobility and enables Tiebout sorting. We focus on the Italian context, where a strong culture of in-person workplace attendance limits workers’ ability to live farther from their workplace. We leverage the natural experiment of COVID-19 containment measures to shed light on the spatial implications of an increased remote work adoption. We overcome the unavailability of official data by collecting primary data in early 2022 through an original survey of our design on a sample of workers in 12 metropolitan areas. To address the challenges of analyzing the phenomenon in a still-developing context, we ask questions on both their actual and intended moving behavior in relation to remote work availability. Using a case–control study design, we find significant evidence that expecting to work remotely more frequently in the long term increases the likelihood of being interested in moving, or having done so already since the pandemic outbreak.

Were Parents Synchronizing Their Home-Based Working Arrangements During the COVID-19 Pandemic?

Little research has been done on parents’ coordination of their work arrangements during the COVID-19 pandemic. Synchronized work arrangements (e.g., both parents work from home) could enable working parents to maximize their togetherness, whereas desynchronized working arrangements could enable them to address some pandemic-induced challenges, such as an increased need for child care and distance education. We draw upon the Familydemic Harmonized Dataset a cross-county study offering data on work and family outcomes collected in Canada, Germany, Italy, Poland, Sweden, and the US. Using a sample of dual-earner heterosexual parents, this study examines whether working parents harmonized their transitions between home-based work and the workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic and explores factors that potentially contributed to this coordination process. The findings reveal that working couples’ transitions to home-based work from the workplace were synchronized. Parents with similar educational attainment were more likely to experience such coordination than couples with different levels of education. Cohabiting couples in married/registered unions were more likely to transition to home-based work simultaneously than non-registered cohabiting couples. The duration of synchronized home-based work episodes decreased with the number of children, and the length of synchronized workplace attendance increased with the age of the children.

A SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in a public order and safety training facility in England, June 2021.

The public order and safety (POS) sector remains susceptible to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreaks, as workplace attendance is typically compulsory and close physical contact is often needed. Here, we report on a SARS-CoV-2 outbreak with an attack rate of 39% (9/23), which occurred between 19 and 29 June 2021 among a cohort of new POS recruits participating in a mandatory 18-week training programme in England. The COVID-OUT (COVID-19 Outbreak investigation to Understand Transmission) study team undertook a multidisciplinary outbreak investigation, including viral surface sampling, workplace environmental assessment, participant viral and antibody testing, and questionnaires, at the two associated training facilities between 5 July and 24 August 2021. Environmental factors, such as ventilation, were deemed inadequate in some areas of the workplace, with carbon dioxide (CO2) levels exceeding 1,500 ppm on multiple occasions within naturally ventilated classrooms. Activities during safety training required close contact, with some necessitating physical contact, physical exertion, and shouting. Furthermore, most participants reported having physical contact with colleagues (67%) and more than one close work contact daily (97%). Our investigation suggests that site- and activity-specific factors likely contributed to the transmission risks within the POS trainee cohort. Potential interventions for mitigating SARS-CoV-2 transmission in this POS training context could include implementing regular rapid lateral flow testing, optimizing natural ventilation, using portable air cleaning devices in classrooms, and expanding use of well-fitted FFP2/FFP3 respirators during activities where prolonged close physical contact is required.

A longitudinal survey on the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on long-term rail commuting

The Covid-19 pandemic led to fundamental changes in working and commuting patterns for a segment of the workforce, with significant impacts on the level of patronage of public transport systems that are focused on catering to commuters. This aim of this work was to quantify this impact in the long term, using a longitudinal sample of 3826 commuters with a focus on those using rail in Great Britain. Using a panel built in 2020, commuting habits pre-pandemic were compared with those in February 2023. Survey data can now shed light on long-term behavioural adjustments. Building on previous waves, the current wave addresses topics such as commuting frequency, frequency of working from home (WFH) and individual perceptions of WFH and/or in the workplace plus long-term individual decisions such as changes in home location. The results revealed that the pandemic led to a reduction of 1.18 in the number of days commuting to work per week and an increase of 0.85 in the number of days WFH. In addition, if employers had not put restrictions on workplace attendance, the return to commuting would have been 12 percentage points lower. Nonetheless, there is evidence employees are internalising their employer's restrictions to some extent.

The pandemic and Africa: a review of the psychological, social, and nutritional impact of COVID-19 in Africa

COVID-19 has had a significant impact on the lives of populations across the world. Since the first reported case of the coronavirus in Wuhan, China, the world faced a situation of dealing with a novel virus. While the physical health effects of the coronavirus were the center of focus for much of the pandemic, COVID-19 was accompanied with significant social, psychological and nutritional consequences on the world populations. Governments world over moved to contain the virus through nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) by implementing restrictions on social engagement, travel, curfews, and limiting school and workplace attendance. These NPIs significantly affected the vulnerable, low-income populations as they faced high levels of poverty, challenging living conditions, and already-existing inequality owing to disrupted day-to-day activities and social interactions. In this review, we aim to assess how the coronavirus pandemic has affected the African continent at large, highlighting the socio-psychological and nutritional consequences. The paper notes important social dimensions that faced the greatest disruptions and effects, with education being affected by school closures in Africa as across the world and resulting in learning losses for millions of school-going children. The workplace was also affected as reflected in the unemployment consequence where millions of adults lost their jobs due to suspended economic activity. Family and gender-based violence cases further emphasized the social consequences of the pandemic since lockdowns confined women and children to vulnerable environments and denied them access to protective services. The negative economic effects of the pandemic further worsened poverty and inequality for a population that was already in abject conditions. Moreover, there were issues related to the overburdening of a fragile healthcare system, psychological consequences associated with stress and depression and grief and loss, stigma and discrimination related to COVID-19 infection, and nutritional impacts covering food insecurity, malnutrition, and the effects on school feeding programs for children. Accordingly, through citing some examples of a few countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, the review will detail the experiences of the populations within this region which remain plagued with economic and health vulnerabilities that were further exposed by the pandemic.

HRM Strategy in Improving Employee Performance of PT. AICE Bangkalan

definition of human resource management is a system whose aim is to influence the behavior and attitudes of human resources to be able to provide maximum contribution in achieving organizational goals. Employee performance refers to the work results that have been achieved by an employee or group of individuals in accordance with the responsibilities and authority given to them. This includes various aspects such as the amount of work completed, quality of work, punctuality, workplace attendance, and cooperative work attitude. In this case, PT AICE Bangkalan has demonstrated a strong commitment to improving the performance of its employees through various HR management strategies that have been implemented. To ensure that HR management runs in accordance with predetermined plans and strategies, the company has formulated General Directorate & HR Program Targets as a guide in its implementation

Presenteeism Is Reloaded and Ready for Further Research – A Commentary on Priebe, J. and Hägerbäumer, M. (2023)

Presenteeism Is Reloaded and Ready for Further Research – A Commentary on Priebe, J. and Hägerbäumer, M. (2023)

Perceived legitimacies of health‐related and motivational presenteeism and absenteeism: Development and validation of the Workplace Attendance Behavior Legitimacy Scale

AbstractWorkplace attendance behaviors (WABs), that is, absenteeism and presenteeism, are important to both organizations and individuals. Yet, despite growing knowledge on their formation and ongoing calls for its exploration, research on how the legitimacy of WAB impacts attendance decisions is missing. We contribute by providing researchers with the Workplace Attendance Behavior Legitimacy Scale (WABLS), a reliable, valid, and economical measure validated in English and German, across five samples. WABLS includes 12 items that measure the personal norms of attending work via three dimensions that emerged across Studies 1A, 1B, and 2, namely, the respective legitimacies of working in the state of ill‐health (sickness presenteeism), working despite a lack of motivation (motivational presenteeism), and not working due to a lack of motivation (motivational absenteeism). We find that WABLS exhibits good internal consistency, test–retest reliability, discriminant and criterion‐related validity, and longitudinal and cross‐lingual measurement invariance (Study 3). We discuss theoretical implications for attendance legitimacy as well as opportunities for the future use of WABLS.

Are Biometric Attendance Registers a Panacea for Workplace Absenteeism in Tanzania? A Lesson from Public Secondary Schools in Nyamagana Municipality

Teachers’ workplace absenteeism is widely reported in countries like Tanzania. Left unaddressed, the problem negatively affects institutions and students’ academic excellence. In response, use of digital technology, including deployment of biometric fingerprint attendance registers is thought to bring a novel opportunity for mitigating the problem. However, the extent to which biometrics is effective in managing employees’ attendance in countries like Tanzania is yet to be known. This study draws experience from Nyamagana Municipality to ascertain the effectiveness of biometric fingerprint attendance registers in addressing teachers’ workplace absenteeism. The findings unveil challenges that blur the effectiveness of biometric fingerprint attendance registers in the studied district. With ICT, teachers can still falsify their workplace attendance. More so, unreliable power supply and COVID-19 pandemic have heightened the challenges related to effective utilisation of the fingerprint machines in managing teacher absenteeism. The study recommends that an effective design and use of digital technology in managing teachers absenteeism should take into account the sociological aspects in educational industry.

Workplace contact patterns in England during the COVID-19 pandemic: Analysis of the Virus Watch prospective cohort study.

SummaryBackgroundWorkplaces are an important potential source of SARS-CoV-2 exposure; however, investigation into workplace contact patterns is lacking. This study aimed to investigate how workplace attendance and features of contact varied between occupations across the COVID-19 pandemic in England.MethodsData were obtained from electronic contact diaries (November 2020-November 2021) submitted by employed/self-employed prospective cohort study participants (n=4,616). We used mixed models to investigate the effects of occupation and time for: workplace attendance, number of people sharing workspace, time spent sharing workspace, number of close contacts, and usage of face coverings.FindingsWorkplace attendance and contact patterns varied across occupations and time. The predicted probability of intense space sharing during the day was highest for healthcare (78% [95% CI: 75–81%]) and education workers (64% [59%–69%]), who also had the highest probabilities for larger numbers of close contacts (36% [32%–40%] and 38% [33%–43%] respectively). Education workers also demonstrated relatively low predicted probability (51% [44%–57%]) of wearing a face covering during close contact. Across all occupational groups, workspace sharing and close contact increased and usage of face coverings decreased during phases of less stringent restrictions.InterpretationMajor variations in workplace contact patterns and mask use likely contribute to differential COVID-19 risk. Patterns of variation by occupation and restriction phase may inform interventions for future waves of COVID-19 or other respiratory epidemics. Across occupations, increasing workplace contact and reduced face covering usage is concerning given ongoing high levels of community transmission and emergence of variants.FundingMedical Research Council; HM Government; Wellcome Trust

Estimating the Effects of Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions and Population Mobility on Daily COVID-19 Cases: Evidence from Ontario.

This study uses coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) case counts and Google mobility data for 12 of Ontario’s largest Public Health Units from Spring 2020 until the end of January 2021 to evaluate the effects of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs; policy restrictions on business operations and social gatherings) and population mobility on daily cases. Instrumental variables (IV) estimation is used to account for potential simultaneity bias, because both daily COVID-19 cases and NPIs are dependent on lagged case numbers. IV estimates based on differences in lag lengths to infer causal estimates imply that the implementation of stricter NPIs and indoor mask mandates are associated with reductions in COVID-19 cases. Moreover, estimates based on Google mobility data suggest that increases in workplace attendance are correlated with higher case counts. Finally, from October 2020 to January 2021, daily Ontario forecasts from Box–Jenkins time-series models are more accurate than official forecasts and forecasts from a susceptible-infected-removed epidemiology model.

Differential Treatment of Older Workers Due to COVID-19: Potential for Ageism and Age Discrimination at Work

This paper examines the implications of employers' current COVID-19 protective workplace attendance policies toward older workers, potentially creating the outcomes of increased numbers of involuntary retirees and the discouraged older worker syndrome among otherwise qualified older workforce participants. How potential ageist assumptions and age discrimination under COVID-19 affect workplace decisions in reflection on the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (1967) guidelines is discussed. Older workers may remain in the workforce longer than ever before due to having healthier life expectancies. Workplace policies need to be increasingly sensitive to older employees’ rights to sustain their workplace engagement (Cummins, 2014; Cummins, Harootyan, & Kunkel, 2015). The author reviewed current unemployment trends in 2020 and emerging litigation in reflection upon general issues of COVID-19 related age discrimination in the older workers' workplace attendance decisions by employers and the historical framework of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (1967, with significant amendments in 1978 and 1986). The policy analysis paper presents the implications of employers' COVID-19 protective policies on older workers and how it may affect the “health” of the workplace and older adults and the economy beyond the pandemic. Lastly, strategies to address an "age-friendly" workplace during a pandemic and post-pandemic are discussed.

'Menopause affects us all . . .': menopause transition experiences of female ambulance staff from a UK ambulance service.

There is limited research regarding the menopause transition in the emergency services; however, all women will experience this life phase, which can have a significant impact on personal well-being, workplace attendance and performance. The aim of this survey was to explore personal and work impacts of the menopause for all female staff in the ambulance setting. A purpose-designed, 20-question survey, based on the Menopause Rating Scale and British Menopause Survey, was developed to understand menopausal symptoms and their impact on female staff in one UK ambulance service. Disseminated during 1-31 July 2019, it resulted in a convenience sample of 522 responses, which were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic approaches. Typically, respondents were either pre-menopausal or peri-menopausal, with approximately a third being menopausal or post-menopausal. Over half worked in emergency operational delivery, and typically worked shifts or unsocial hours. For those who had experienced menopause symptoms, the most commonly reported were tiredness or low energy levels, difficulty sleeping (including insomnia) and mood changes (including anxiety or depression). Symptoms impacted respondents' well-being, work and home life. Most had not expected the symptoms they experienced. The majority of respondents did not feel supported at work, with lack of menopausal symptom awareness and personal impact, working times and patterns, and sense of embarrassment of most concern. Other issues included lack of managerial and peer support, inadequate working environment and uniform, lack of dignity and choice, and no dedicated menopause policy. It is understood that this is the first survey to explore female ambulance staff menopause experiences. The impact of menopausal symptoms can be significant. Menopause awareness in this ambulance service is lacking and there is clear scope for initiatives for improved staff support and well-being. Further research is warranted to explore how best to support ambulance staff with the menopause transition.

Differential Treatment of Older Workers Due to COVID‐19 Accommodations: Potential Issues of Ageism and Age Discrimination

AbstractThis paper examines the implications of employers' current COVID‐19 protective workplace attendance policies toward older workers, potentially creating the outcomes of increased numbers of involuntary retirees and the discouraged older worker syndrome among otherwise qualified older workforce participants. How potential ageist assumptions and age discrimination under COVID‐19 affect workplace decisions in reflection on the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (1967) guidelines is discussed. Older workers may remain in the workforce longer than ever before due to having extended life expectancies. Workplace policies need to be increasingly sensitive to older employees' rights to sustain their workplace engagement (Cummins, 2014; Cummins, Harootyan, & Kunkel, 2015). The author reviewed current unemployment trends in 2020 and emerging litigation in reflection upon general issues of COVID‐19 related age discrimination. Specifically, older workers' workplace attendance decisions by employers were analyzed within the historical framework of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (1967 significant amendments in 1978 and 1986). The policy analysis paper presents the implications of employers' COVID‐19 protective policies on older workers and how it may affect the “health” of the workplace and older adults and the economy beyond the pandemic. Lastly, strategies to address an “age‐friendly” workplace during a pandemic and post‐pandemic are discussed.

Factors associated with obtaining employment among opioid use disorder patients enrolled in a therapeutic workplace intervention

BackgroundUnemployment is a common problem among adults who have substance use disorder that often persists during treatment and recovery. We identified patient characteristics that were associated with obtaining employment among unemployed adults in opioid use disorder treatment. MethodsThis analysis used data from participants (N = 91) who were enrolled in a randomized controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of a therapeutic workplace in promoting drug abstinence and employment. After a 3-month training period (Phase 1), participants were randomly assigned to a study group and could work for 12 months with an employment specialist who assisted participants in obtaining employment (Phase 2). A logistic regression model was used to identify patient characteristics that were associated with obtaining employment. ResultsOf the 91 participants, 39 (42.9 %) obtained employment. Compared to participants who did not obtain employment, participants who obtained employment worked more days in the therapeutic workplace during the training period (Phase 1) [OR (95 % CI) = 1.072 (1.015–1.132), p = .014], provided more opiate- and cocaine-negative urine samples while seeking employment [OR (95 % CI) = 1.015 (1.002–1.027), p = .025], and reported not usually being unemployed at study intake [OR (95 % CI) = 0.229 (0.080–0.652), p = .007]. ConclusionsOur analyses suggest that among unemployed adults in opioid use disorder treatment, those with the lowest rates of therapeutic workplace attendance, lowest rates of drug abstinence while seeking employment, and relatively long histories of unemployment are the least likely to obtain employment. These relations are potentially addressable at a practical level, and future research could build on these findings to improve the effectiveness of employment-based interventions.

Factors associated with non-essential workplace attendance during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK in early 2021: evidence from cross-sectional surveys

ObjectivesWorking from home where possible is important in reducing the spread of COVID-19. In early 2021, a quarter of people in England who believed they could work entirely from home reported attending their workplace. To inform interventions to reduce this, this study examined associated factors. Study designData from the ongoing COVID-19 Rapid Survey of Adherence to Interventions and Responses survey series of nationally representative samples of people in the UK aged 16+ years in January–February 2021 were used. MethodsThe study sample was 1422 respondents who reported that they could work completely from home. The outcome measure was self-reported workplace attendance at least once during the preceding week. Factors of interest were analysed in three blocks: 1) sociodemographic variables, 2) variables relating to respondents’ circumstances and 3) psychological variables. Results26.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 24.5%–29.1%) of respondents reported having attended their workplace at least once in the preceding week. Sociodemographic variables and living circumstances significantly independently predicted non-essential workplace attendance: male gender (odds ratio [OR] = 1.85, 95% CI = 1.33–2.58); dependent children in the household (OR = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.17–2.32); financial hardship (OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.08–1.21); lower socio-economic grade (C2DE; OR = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.19–2.53); working in sectors such as health or social care (OR = 4.18, 95% CI = 2.56–6.81), education and childcare (OR = 2.45, 95% CI = 1.45–4.14) and key public service (OR = 3.78, 95% CI = 1.83–7.81) and having been vaccinated (OR = 2.08, 95% CI = 1.33–3.24). ConclusionsNon-essential workplace attendance in the UK in early 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic was significantly independently associated with a range of sociodemographic variables and personal circumstances. Having been vaccinated, financial hardship, socio-economic grade C2DE, having a dependent child at home and working in certain key sectors were associated with higher likelihood of workplace attendance.

The effect of repeated doses of intravenous ketamine on measures of workplace attendance and productivity in adults with major depressive and bipolar disorder: Results from the canadian rapid treatment center of excellence

Numerous clinical trials have reported that intravenous (IV) ketamine demonstrates rapid antidepressant and anti-suicidal effects in patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). These studies, however, have not characterized whether these antidepressant effects translate to improvements in workplace productivity and functionality. Adults with TRD received repeated doses of IV ketamine at a community-based clinic (n = 171). We evaluated patient outcomes at two timepoints of interest: (1) acute-phase (i.e., following 4–6 infusions, 17.6 ± 12.6 days from baseline) and (2) maintenance-phase (i.e., following 7–10 infusions, 153.9 ± 63.4 days from baseline). The primary outcome measure was change from baseline to maintenance-phase scores on the Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS) workplace/school item as well as days underproductive (i.e., presenteeism) and days lost (i.e., absenteeism). Secondary measures included the Quick Inventory for Depression Symptomatology-Self Report 16-Item (QIDS-SR16). There was a significant reduction in workplace/school disability, and significantly reduced symptoms of presenteeism and absenteeism. At the acute-phase outcome, this translated to 2 more days of productivity and 1.5 less days absent from work. Additionally, IV ketamine exhibited a sustained antidepressant effect across the ten infusions. IV ketamine was associated with a significant reduction in workplace/school disability and demonstrated improvements in symptoms of presenteeism and absenteeism.

Early evidence and predictors of mental distress of adults one month in the COVID-19 epidemic in Brazil

ObjectiveWe aim to provide early evidence of mental distress and its associated predictors among adults one month into the COVID-19 crisis in Brazil. MethodsWe conducted an online survey of 638 adults in Brazil on March 25–28, 2020, about one month (32 days) cross-sectionally after the first COVID-19 case in South America was confirmed in São Paulo. The 638 adults were in 25 states out of the 26 Brazilian states, with the only exception being Roraima, the least populated state in the Amazon. Of all the participating adults, 24%, 20%, and 18% of them were located in Rio de Janeiro state, Santa Catarina state, and São Paulo state respectively. ResultsIn Brazil, 52% (332) of the sampled adults experienced mild or moderate distress, and 18.8% (120) suffered severe distress. Adults who were female, younger, more educated, and exercised less reported higher levels of distress. Each individual's distance from the Brazilian epicenter of São Paulo interacted with age and workplace attendance to predict the level of distress. The “typhoon eye effect” was stronger for people who were older or attended their workplace less. The most vulnerable adults were those who were far from the epicenter and did not go to their workplace in the week before the survey. ConclusionIdentifying the predictors of distress enables mental health services to better target finding and helping the more mentally vulnerable adults during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

Attendance at London workplaces after symptom onset: a retrospective cohort study of staff members with confirmed COVID-19.

BackgroundCoronavirus disease (COVID)-secure workplace guidance, including the prompt self-isolation of those with COVID-19 symptoms, is fundamental to disease control in workplaces. Despite guidance, a large number of workplace outbreaks have been observed. This study aimed to identify the proportion of symptomatic staff members attending workplaces after symptom onset or testing, and associated factors.MethodsThis study of symptomatic COVID-19 cases associated with London workplaces used London Coronavirus Response Centre (LCRC) records from routine telephone calls with cases and employers, from 17th July to 10th September. For each case, symptoms, date of onset, date of testing and the last attendance at work were extracted. Univariable logistic regression was performed to investigate whether age, gender or occupation was associated with workplace attendance after the onset of symptoms.ResultsOut of 130 symptomatic COVID-19 cases, 42 (32.3%) attended the workplace after their reported date of symptom onset, including 16 (12.3%) with recorded COVID-19 symptoms. Five staff members attended after COVID-19 testing. Males were 66% less likely to attend the workplace after the onset of COVID-19 symptoms compared to females (odds ratio 0.34, P = 0.05). Age and occupation were not predictive for workplace attendance after the onset of symptoms.ConclusionA minority of symptomatic cases attended the workplace after the onset of COVID-19 symptoms, with a smaller proportion attending after testing. Males appeared less likely to attend the workplace after the onset of COVID-19 symptoms. This study highlights the need for ongoing COVID-19 secure workplace practices and prompt self-isolation after COVID-19 symptom onset or testing.