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Who knew it might be a problem if employees go to work?

According to Janet Flewelling, managing director of service operations for Insperity, it's called “presenteeism,” and Flewelling writes about the issue in Chicago Business Journal: “A company with employees who are physically present at work but not functioning at their full potential because of an illness or other medical condition may have a ‘presenteeism' problem.”

“Presenteeism is one of the largest threats to productivity, and its impact can rival that of absenteeism.”

The problem comes when employees who don't feel their best still come to the office. Not only might these employees not be at their best — reducing productivity — but also they can get others sick, impacting their productivity as well. According to Flewelling, “some studies estimate that presenteeism costs U.S. employers $150 billion to $250 billion annually.”

Felling offers three way to combat the problem:

Corporate Culture: “One way to help alleviate this pattern of behavior is to change the culture so that genuinely ill or contagious employees are encouraged to stay home.”

Employee wellness programs: “Establishing an employee wellness program may help workers focus on their health, which can lead to the prevention of serious illnesses and other conditions that impact productivity.”

PTO programs: “In addition to giving employees the flexibility to decide how to use their time, this arrangement can potentially reduce the abuse of sick time.”