Managing Virtual Presenteeism during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multilevel Study on Managers’ Stress Management Competencies to Foster Functional Presenteeism

Sandra Salvoni (), Caroline Biron, Marie-Hélène Gilbert, Julie Dextras-Gauthier and Hans Ivers
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Sandra Salvoni: Department of Management, Faculty of Business & Administration, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
Caroline Biron: Department of Management, Faculty of Business & Administration, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
Marie-Hélène Gilbert: Department of Management, Faculty of Business & Administration, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
Julie Dextras-Gauthier: Department of Management, Faculty of Business & Administration, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
Hans Ivers: School of Psychology, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada

IJERPH, 2024, vol. 21, issue 9, 1-18

Abstract: Teleworking remains an attractive option for many workers since the COVID-19 pandemic, but it presents significant management challenges, particularly when employees face health issues. The management of virtual presenteeism, where employees continue teleworking despite being ill, has received limited attention. This study explores the relationship between managers’ stress management competencies (SMCs), mental health, and job performance of virtual presentees, aiming to fostering more functional presenteeism. We examine whether managers’ SMCs promote functional presenteeism by comparing managers’ self-assessments with employee assessments, and analyzing how agreement levels between the two affect mental health and job performance. Data were collected from 365 teleworkers supervised by 157 managers in a large public organization in Québec. The results indicate that virtual presentees’ mental health and job performance are closely linked to employees’ assessment of their managers’ SMCs. Employees who agreed with their manager or overestimated their managers’ SMCs exhibited better mental health and job performance than those who agreed with their manager on low SMCs or underestimated their managers. This study expands on the health-performance framework of presenteeism and self-other agreements, highlighting management practices that should be enhanced in the context of virtual presenteeism.

Keywords: virtual presenteeism; telework; mental health; job performance; stress management competencies; health-performance framework of presenteeism; COVID-19 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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