"Sickness presenteeism, i.e. going to work while sick, can cause substantial productivity losses. Focusing on work-related characteristics, we investigate the determinants of the annual duration of sickness presenteeism using representative European cross-sectional data. We find work autonomy, workload, tenure, and the work environment to be the quantitatively most relevant determinants of sickness presenteeism days. Work autonomy (control over one's work, being supervisor), workload (weekly working hours, time pressure), and tenure are positively related to the number of sickness presenteeism days. In contrast, a good work environment (good working conditions and social support) comes along with fewer presenteeism days."

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