When Are You Coming Back? Presenteeism in U.K. Prison Officers

• Author: Gail Kinman,Jacqui Hart,Andrew James Clements
• DOI: 10.1177/0032885519838019
• Date: 01 June 2019
• Published date: 01 June 2019
• Subject Matter: Articles

https://doi.org/10.1177/0032885519838019

The Prison Journal

2019, Vol. 99(3) 363 –383

© 2019 SAGE Publications

Article reuse guidelines:

sagepub.com/journals-permissions

DOI: 10.1177/0032885519838019

journals.sagepub.com/home/tpj

Article

When Are You Coming

Back? Presenteeism in

U.K. Prison Officers

Gail Kinman1, Andrew James Clements1,

and Jacqui Hart1

Abstract

Presenteeism has negative implications for staff well-being and the safety

of prisons, but little is known about its prevalence and causes. This mixed-

methods study examines these issues among 1,682 U.K. officers. Most

respondents (84%) reported working while sick at least sometimes, with

53% always doing so. Six linked themes were identified that underpinned

presenteeism in the prison sector: punitive absence management systems,

pressure from management, short-staffing and fear of letting colleagues down,

job insecurity, fear of disbelief and shaming, and duty and professionalism.

The implications of presenteeism for the health and job performance of

prison officers are considered.

Keywords

presenteeism, health, job performance, prison officers

Introduction

The term “presenteeism” typically refers to situations where people continue

to work despite feeling sufficiently unwell to take time off “sick” (Johns,

2010). Although the prevalence and costs of sickness absence have been

widely investigated, until recently, little attention has been given to the

1University of Bedfordshire, Luton, UK

Corresponding Author:

Gail Kinman, School of Psychology, University of Bedfordshire, Luton, Bedfordshire LU1 3JU,

UK.

Email: gail.kinman@beds.ac.uk

838019TPJXXX10.1177/0032885519838019The Prison JournalKinman et al.

research-article2019

364 The Prison Journal 99(3)

implications of working while sick. Studies conducted in several countries

provide compelling evidence that presenteeism is not only more common

than absenteeism but considerably more damaging to individuals and organi-

zations (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development [CIPD], 2016;

Johns, 2010; Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, 2007). Research findings

suggest that a range of occupational, organizational, and operational factors

encourage people to work during sickness (Aronsson, Gustafsson, & Dallner,

2000; Eurofound, 2012; Miraglia & Kinman, 2017). In this article, we argue

that prison officers experience working conditions that make them particu-

larly vulnerable to presenteeism. Although working while sick has negative

implications for the well-being of staff and the safe functioning of the prison

service, this issue has not yet been systematically investigated. This mixed-

methods study has two aims: (a) to examine the prevalence of presenteeism

among prison officers working in the United Kingdom and (b) to explore the

factors that encourage officers to work while sick.

Working Conditions and Health in Prison

Prisons are high-risk environments, and the prison officer’s role is physically

and mentally challenging. Studies of correctional staff conducted in several

countries indicate that they experience high levels of job-related stressors and

strains (e.g., Finney, Stergiopoulos, Hensel, Bonato, & Dewa, 2013; Griffin,

Hogan, Lambert, Tucker-Gail, & Baker, 2010; Kunst, 2011; Schaufeli &

Peeters, 2000). More specifically, research conducted by Bevan, Houdmont,

and Menear (2010) that examined the psychosocial working conditions reported

by staff working in several prisons in the United Kingdom found lower well-

being in relation to demands, control, support, role clarity, relationships, and

change management than recommended levels. Research in the United

Kingdom and the United States has also found that prison officers’ work is typi-

cally portrayed negatively by the media and unappreciated or even stigmatized

by the public (Crawley & Crawley, 2007; Tracy & Scott, 2006; Vickovic,

Griffin, & Fradella, 2013), which can be an additional source of stress.

The increasing challenges faced by prison staff have been documented in

government reports and academic studies in a number of countries. In the

United Kingdom, correctional institutions are increasingly overcrowded and

understaffed; the prison population has grown since 2010, whereas the num-

ber of frontline staff has fallen by more than a quarter (Ministry of Justice,

2017). The incidence of violence and aggression has risen, with assaults on

staff increasing three-fold since 2013 (Ministry of Justice, 2017). In the

United States, the incidence of serious attacks on prison staff has also risen

(Konda, Tiesman, Reichard, & Hartley, 2013). Drug-taking, self-harm, and