Brief and context

‘Presenteeism.’ It’s the cultural pressure that forces many of us to head to work when we’re sick. Even though we’re less productive, and more likely to pass the sickness on.

It’s estimated that presenteeism represents a far greater cost to businesses than sickness absence – due to the ongoing reduced productivity that comes from workmates making each other sick.

Despite this, there is still massive social pressure to ‘turn up’ no matter how sick you are. Ultimately, people feel too guilty or disempowered to take a sick day. And that’s something Te Whatu Ora (Health NZ) and Te Aka Whai Ora were setting out to change.

The Idea

Let Your Body Go to Work introduces a new way to think about sickness.

Empowering today’s workforce with the insight that resting up and getting better can sometimes be the most productive workday of all.

The idea plants the seed that resting up at home isn’t a cop out. Even though you’re stationary, your body’s still working incredibly hard to heal. So respect it, don’t fight it.