Is your Boss Making you Ill?

Research has shown that bosses and line managers who encourage their staff to continually go above and beyond their contractual duties at work could actually be having a detrimental effect on their health.

Previously, leaders who took the approach of setting high targets and instilling visions for change into their staff were encouraged. However it is now thought that these added levels of pressure actually increase sickness levels.

'Such leaders express values to perform above and beyond the call of duty possibly at the expense of employees' health because they have a self-interest in demonstrating low sickness absence rates in their work groups. This pattern may be a particular problem in organisations where managers are rated according to their ability to control sickness absence levels.' Comments Professor Karina Neilsen, who specialises in work and organisational psychology at the University of East Anglia.

When the employees Professor Neilsen describes genuinely are unwell they are reluctant to take time of work to recover and often return to work too quickly. This can mean they never really give themselves chance to completely recover and not only that, by restricting their own recovery, they may make their colleagues unwell too.

Professor Neilson carried out research with 155 Danish postal workers over three years.

At the start of the experiment the participants were asked to rate their line manager, comment on their own sickness levels and were asked what they thought about working more hours than they were contractually obliged to.

The participants’ absences through sickness were reviewed in years 2 and 3 of the experiment and the research showed that staff who work for ‘transformational’ leaders i.e. ones ‘taking the approach of setting high targets and instilling visions for change into their staff’ took more time off during year 2 of the study. Whereas those who work for managers that had expectations of them working additional hours took more time off in year 3.

The research suggests neither method of management works best in the interest of staff but that the practise of working more hours than obliged presents more of a long-term problem.

Lawson-West Employment Solicitor Vaishali Thakerar comments: “Employers need to motivate their staff, and to display healthy behaviours themselves. They should monitor the health of their team where it is possible to do so and encourage them to perform but not so that it will have an effect on their health or well-being.”

If you have any questions regarding your employment rights please contact Ashley Hunt and Carrie-Ann Randall on 01858 445480 or Vaishali Thakerar and Alex Reid on 0116 212 1000. 

Previously, leaders who took the approach of setting high targets and instilling visions for change into their staff were encouraged. However it is now thought that these added levels of pressure actually increase sickness levels.

'Such leaders express values to perform above and beyond the call of duty possibly at the expense of employees' health because they have a self-interest in demonstrating low sickness absence rates in their work groups. This pattern may be a particular problem in organisations where managers are rated according to their ability to control sickness absence levels.' Comments Professor Karina Neilsen, who specialises in work and organisational psychology at the University of East Anglia.

When the employees Professor Neilsen describes genuinely are unwell they are reluctant to take time of work to recover and often return to work too quickly. This can mean they never really give themselves chance to completely recover and not only that, by restricting their own recovery, they may make their colleagues unwell too.

Professor Neilson carried out research with 155 Danish postal workers over three years.

At the start of the experiment the participants were asked to rate their line manager, comment on their own sickness levels and were asked what they thought about working more hours than they were contractually obliged to.

The participants’ absences through sickness were reviewed in years 2 and 3 of the experiment and the research showed that staff who work for ‘transformational’ leaders i.e. ones ‘taking the approach of setting high targets and instilling visions for change into their staff’ took more time off during year 2 of the study. Whereas those who work for managers that had expectations of them working additional hours took more time off in year 3.

The research suggests neither method of management works best in the interest of staff but that the practise of working more hours than obliged presents more of a long-term problem.

Lawson-West Employment Solicitor Vaishali Thakerar comments: “Employers need to motivate their staff, and to display healthy behaviours themselves. They should monitor the health of their team where it is possible to do so and encourage them to perform but not so that it will have an effect on their health or well-being.”

If you have any questions regarding your employment rights please contact Ashley Hunt and Carrie-Ann Randall on 01858 445480 or Vaishali Thakerar and Alex Reid on 0116 212 1000. 

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