Psychological Distress, Related Work Attendance, and Productivity Loss in Small-to-Medium Enterprise Owner/Managers

Owner/managers of small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) are an under-researched population in terms of psychological distress and the associated health and economic consequences. Using baseline data from the evaluation of the Business in Mind program, a mental health promotion intervention amongst SME...

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Main Authors: Alison Venn, Kristy Sanderson, Fiona Cocker, Angela Martin, Jenn Scott
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2013-10-01
Series:International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/10/10/5062
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spelling doaj-d43c932a0bcf49bdb5664e094166f6592020-11-24T23:53:58ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health1660-46012013-10-0110105062508210.3390/ijerph10105062Psychological Distress, Related Work Attendance, and Productivity Loss in Small-to-Medium Enterprise Owner/ManagersAlison VennKristy SandersonFiona CockerAngela MartinJenn ScottOwner/managers of small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) are an under-researched population in terms of psychological distress and the associated health and economic consequences. Using baseline data from the evaluation of the Business in Mind program, a mental health promotion intervention amongst SME owner/managers, this study investigated: (i) prevalence of high/very high psychological distress, past-month sickness absenteeism and presenteeism days in SME owner/managers; (ii) associated, self-reported lost productivity; and (iii) associations between work, non-work and business-specific factors and work attendance behaviours. In our sample of 217 SME owner/managers 36.8% reported high/very high psychological distress. Of this group 38.7% reported past-month absenteeism, 82.5% reported past-month presenteeism, and those reporting presenteeism were 50% less productive as than usual. Negative binomial regression was used to demonstrate the independent effects of socio-demographic, work-related wellbeing and health-related factors, as well as various individual and business characteristics on continuous measures of absenteeism and presenteeism days. Health-related factors (self-rated health and treatment) were the strongest correlates of higher presenteeism days (p < 0.05). Work-related wellbeing factors (job tension and job satisfaction) were the strongest correlates of higher absenteeism days (p < 0.05). Higher educational attainment, treatment and neuroticism were also correlated with more absenteeism days. SME-specific information about the occurrence of psychological distress, work attendance behaviour, and the variables that influence these decisions, are needed for the development of guidelines for managing psychological distress within this sector.http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/10/10/5062depressionworkplaceabsenteeismpresenteeismproductivitySMEs
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Alison Venn
Kristy Sanderson
Fiona Cocker
Angela Martin
Jenn Scott
spellingShingle Alison Venn
Kristy Sanderson
Fiona Cocker
Angela Martin
Jenn Scott
Psychological Distress, Related Work Attendance, and Productivity Loss in Small-to-Medium Enterprise Owner/Managers
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
depression
workplace
absenteeism
presenteeism
productivity
SMEs
author_facet Alison Venn
Kristy Sanderson
Fiona Cocker
Angela Martin
Jenn Scott
author_sort Alison Venn
title Psychological Distress, Related Work Attendance, and Productivity Loss in Small-to-Medium Enterprise Owner/Managers
title_short Psychological Distress, Related Work Attendance, and Productivity Loss in Small-to-Medium Enterprise Owner/Managers
title_full Psychological Distress, Related Work Attendance, and Productivity Loss in Small-to-Medium Enterprise Owner/Managers
title_fullStr Psychological Distress, Related Work Attendance, and Productivity Loss in Small-to-Medium Enterprise Owner/Managers
title_full_unstemmed Psychological Distress, Related Work Attendance, and Productivity Loss in Small-to-Medium Enterprise Owner/Managers
title_sort psychological distress, related work attendance, and productivity loss in small-to-medium enterprise owner/managers
publisher MDPI AG
series International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
issn 1660-4601
publishDate 2013-10-01
description Owner/managers of small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) are an under-researched population in terms of psychological distress and the associated health and economic consequences. Using baseline data from the evaluation of the Business in Mind program, a mental health promotion intervention amongst SME owner/managers, this study investigated: (i) prevalence of high/very high psychological distress, past-month sickness absenteeism and presenteeism days in SME owner/managers; (ii) associated, self-reported lost productivity; and (iii) associations between work, non-work and business-specific factors and work attendance behaviours. In our sample of 217 SME owner/managers 36.8% reported high/very high psychological distress. Of this group 38.7% reported past-month absenteeism, 82.5% reported past-month presenteeism, and those reporting presenteeism were 50% less productive as than usual. Negative binomial regression was used to demonstrate the independent effects of socio-demographic, work-related wellbeing and health-related factors, as well as various individual and business characteristics on continuous measures of absenteeism and presenteeism days. Health-related factors (self-rated health and treatment) were the strongest correlates of higher presenteeism days (p < 0.05). Work-related wellbeing factors (job tension and job satisfaction) were the strongest correlates of higher absenteeism days (p < 0.05). Higher educational attainment, treatment and neuroticism were also correlated with more absenteeism days. SME-specific information about the occurrence of psychological distress, work attendance behaviour, and the variables that influence these decisions, are needed for the development of guidelines for managing psychological distress within this sector.
topic depression
workplace
absenteeism
presenteeism
productivity
SMEs
url http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/10/10/5062
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