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People come to work when they’re unwell. Why, and what should we do?

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Last updated 10 November 2026

There's pressure in the teamFor Leaders, Managers

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In short

People keep working when time off feels risky or no one can cover their work. Make it safe to take sick leave, including for mental health, and look at the workload behind it.

Coming to work while unwell or exhausted is called presenteeism. It is harder to notice than absence, as the person is still at work, but it often shows as slower work, more mistakes and withdrawal from the team.

What to do

  1. Make it safe to take sick leave Treat medical leave for mental health the same as for physical illness, and put this in your leave policy.
  2. Ask leaders to take sick leave when they need it Staff are more likely to use the policy when they see leaders using it.
  3. Judge work by results, not hours at the desk
  4. Arrange cover If no one can cover the work, people will keep coming in. Cross-train people on key tasks.
  5. Train managers to notice and ask For example: “You seem a bit flat this week. Is everything okay?”
  6. Look at the cause if many people are doing it This usually means workloads are too high or there is too little time to recover.

Watch out for

  • Someone who keeps working while unwell is more likely to be struggling than lazy or disengaged.
  • If someone is unwell with something infectious, ask them to stay at home or work from home where possible.

Discover more

ToolPRISMTo check how your organisation manages workload and recoveryOpen on Wayfinder →

Kaleidoscope Labs manages the Network and provides some of these courses and workshops for a fee.

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ArticlePresenteeism in Singapore: When Showing Up Isn’t the Same as Being WellRelated questionMany of our staff say they are burnt out. Is resilience training enough?Related questionOur staff only mention workload when they resign. How do we get them to raise it earlier?

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See all questions. This is general guidance, not legal or clinical advice. Can’t find your answer? Email hello@wellbeingchampions.sg.