Presenteeism and home-based Telework across the Visegrad countries during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multivariate Analysis Approach

Objective: The purpose of this study is to analyse the factors that contri-bute to presenteeism in the Visegrad countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study specifically focuses on the influence of different levels of telework utilization (no te-lework, occasional telework, and frequent telework) on the pro-bability of presenteeism. Methods: The analysis included data from the European Working Condi-tion Telephone Survey (EWCTS) carried out in 2021, which in-volved 1806 individuals from the Visegrad nations. Logistic reg-ression models were used for calculation. Main results: The study discovered that regular telework increases the chances of presenteeism, where those who frequently or consistently te-lework are more likely to work while being ill. Emotional exhaus-tion, managerial support, and collegial support was found to be a significant indicator of presenteeism. Furthermore, the combina-tion of working at high speed and facing tight deadlines was found to be linked to increased presenteeism, particularly for in-dividuals who often or always telework. Conclusion: The results emphasize the intricate connection between telework and presenteeism in the Visegrad nations during the pandemic. This study highlights the significance of dealing with these as-pects, especially in the context of the growing adoption of te-lework, in order to uphold employee well-being and productivity. JEL Codes: I12, I14, I31, J24, M12