The story of Michael Jordan recording 38 points, seven rebounds and three steals to lift the Chicago Bulls to victory in Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals all while battling flu-like symptoms is legend. Media dubbed it the 鈥淔lu Game鈥� and would go on to laud his gutsy playoff performance for the next 24 years. Show up to work with flu-like symptoms these days though and you鈥檙e not likely to get the same reaction as MJ.
As businesses reopen and employees return to the office following the pandemic shutdowns, a new study from the 麻豆原创 recently published in Journal of Applied Psychology, examines how working with sick coworkers affects employees鈥� treatment of them compared to healthier colleagues.
鈥淯nderstanding the link between 鈥榗oworker presenteeism鈥欌�攕howing up to work when you鈥檙e sick or not feeling well 鈥� and mistreatment may be more pressing now than ever,鈥� says 麻豆原创 management professor Shannon Taylor, 鈥渂ut it is not specific to the COVID-19 outbreak.鈥�
In two studies conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic in face-to-face settings, 麻豆原创 researchers Taylor and Troy Pounds, a visiting lecturer of integrated business, found that employees were less likely to mistreat a sick coworker if they reacted with empathy, or 鈥渃oworker-orientation.鈥� But if the employee was stressed out by a heavy workload, they were more likely to react with self-concern, or self-interest, and avoid their sick colleague or treat them rudely.
鈥淭he pandemic has brought out the best and worst in people,鈥� Taylor says, 鈥渁nd understanding how employees respond to a sick coworker at work can have a significant impact on a company鈥檚 culture and its bottom line.鈥�
While employees may engage in presenteeism, or working while sick, for admirable reasons (e.g., strong work ethic, financial need), evidence suggests it deteriorates their health and results in productivity costs larger than absenteeism alone. That behavior can be difficult to change in organizations where employees who never miss work, even for a sick day, are lauded and even rewarded for their dedication and work ethic.
鈥淢anagers should encourage sick employees to stay home to help them recover more quickly, protect the health of their colleagues and avoid the risk of abuse at work,鈥� Taylor says,
Taylor and Pounds鈥� study surveyed employees and asked them to recall details about incidents when a coworker displayed symptoms consistent with COVID-19, such as coughing, fever, shortness of breath, 聽and fatigue. Study participants represented various occupations, including cashiers, customer service representatives, teachers, nurses and managers, who had coworkers come to work with COVID-19-like symptoms.
鈥淭here鈥檚 never a good time to be sick,鈥� Taylor says. 鈥淏ut if you have a pile of work to get done when a coworker shows up in the office and appears to be ill, your reaction might be to worry about how it will impact you. For example, you might worry about your own health or taking on their work instead of showing concern for your colleague.鈥�
on workplace mistreatment, examining rude, abusive, and unethical behaviors of employees and leaders. Pounds is pursuing his doctorate of .
