Is There a Hidden Presenteeism Problem in HR?

Why HR professionals keep showing up even when they're exhausted

HR professionals spend their working lives helping organisations understand employee wellbeing. They encourage people to take breaks, seek support when they're struggling, and recognise the early signs of burnout.

Yet when it comes to their own wellbeing, many HR professionals do exactly the opposite.

The HR Mental Wellbeing Report 2026 found exceptionally high levels of psychological distress across the profession. Around three quarters of HR professionals reported symptoms of anxiety or depression, highlighting the high levels of stress in HR professionals alongside rising burnout. Yet sickness absence within HR often remains surprisingly low.

This raises an uncomfortable question. Is there a hidden presenteeism problem in HR?

While there is little research measuring presenteeism specifically in HR, our findings suggest it may be an overlooked consequence of the emotional labour and psychological demands placed on the profession.

What is presenteeism?

Presenteeism occurs when people continue working despite being physically or psychologically unwell in ways that reduce their effectiveness and may delay recovery.

Unlike absenteeism, presenteeism is largely invisible. People attend meetings.They answer emails.They meet deadlines.From the outside they appear to be coping.

Internally, however, they may be exhausted, emotionally overwhelmed, struggling to concentrate, or simply trying to get through the day.

Research consistently suggests that presenteeism can cost organisations more than sickness absence because employees remain at work while operating well below their usual capacity.

Compared with absenteeism, presenteeism describes people attending work despite being unwell and often performing below their usual capacity. While sickness absence is visible and relatively easy to measure, presenteeism can remain hidden for months, making it much harder for organisations to recognise until performance, wellbeing or mental health begin to suffer.

Why is presenteeism particularly common in HR?

The answer is rarely a lack of self-awareness. Most HR professionals understand mental health better than most employees. Instead, the issue often lies in the culture and responsibilities of the role itself.

HR professionals perform significant emotional labour as part of their role, managing conflict, supporting distressed employees, advising leaders and carrying the emotional weight of organisational change.

During restructures, grievances, redundancies, disciplinary investigations, safeguarding concerns and organisational crises, HR professionals frequently absorb other people's anxiety while managing their own.

Many describe feeling responsible for keeping the organisation functioning, even when they themselves are struggling. Taking time off can feel as though they are letting everyone else down.

HR professionals are often expected to embody calm, professionalism and emotional stability. When you are the person supporting managers through difficult conversations or advising leaders during periods of uncertainty, admitting that you are struggling yourself can feel uncomfortable.

Many HR professionals tell us they worry that asking for support will make others question their competence.

Evidence from The HR Mental Wellbeing Report 2026

Our findings paint a concerning picture:

• The majority of HR professionals reported experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression.

• Nearly two-thirds were at high risk of burnout.

• More than one in three were considering leaving the profession altogether.

• Yet only a small minority felt their own mental wellbeing was well supported at work.

These findings suggest that many HR professionals continue working despite experiencing significant psychological distress.

That doesn't necessarily mean they are functioning well. It may simply mean they feel they cannot step away.

Why people keep showing up

Presenteeism often develops from a combination of personal values and organisational pressures.

HR professionals frequently tell us they continue working because:

• they don't want to increase the workload of colleagues

• they worry important employee issues will be delayed

• they feel indispensable during periods of organisational change

• they fear appearing less capable than others

• they genuinely care deeply about the people they support.

These are admirable qualities. But over time they can become unsustainable.

When caring for others consistently comes before caring for yourself, resilience gradually becomes depleted.

What does the psychological presenteeism problem in HR look like?

Unlike physical illness, psychological distress can be difficult to recognise.

Someone experiencing presenteeism may:

• struggle to concentrate

• feel emotionally detached from work

• become increasingly cynical or irritable

• lose confidence in their decision-making

• feel permanently tired despite working just as hard

• continue performing while quietly becoming less effective.

Many continue to deliver good work for months before stress becomes chronic and burnout develops.

Why does presenteeism matter for organisations?

HR wellbeing is not simply about protecting HR teams. Healthy HR functions benefit the entire organisation.

When HR professionals have space to reflect, recover and process the emotional demands of their work, they are better able to:

• make balanced decisions

• support managers effectively

• navigate complex employee situations

• maintain professional judgement

• sustain long-term performance.

Supporting HR wellbeing is therefore an investment in organisational resilience.

What can organisations do?

Presenteeism can’t be solved simply by encouraging people to take annual leave.

It requires organisations to create conditions where asking for support feels psychologically safe and where support for HR teams is the norm.

Practical steps include:

• ensuring workloads are realistic

• encouraging leaders to model healthy boundaries

• recognising the emotional labour involved in HR work

• creating opportunities for structured reflection

• providing confidential spaces where HR professionals can think through complex situations before they become overwhelming.

Reflective HR supervision is one way organisations are beginning to address this challenge.

Rather than focusing solely on solving immediate problems, supervision provides protected time to reflect on difficult work, process emotional demands, strengthen professional judgement and reduce the cumulative impact of carrying other people's challenges.

Sustainable HR - Looking beneath attendance

Importantly if we are to really understand what’s going on for HR and create sustainable HR, we must stop assuming that attendance is always a sign that people are thriving. We need to acknowledge that sometimes it is simply evidence that they feel unable to stop.

If we judge wellbeing only by sickness absence, we risk missing the people who need support the most.

For many HR professionals, resilience is not about continuing to push through. It is about having permission to pause, reflect and recover before stress becomes chronic and tips into HR burnout.

As organisations become increasingly focused on employee wellbeing, perhaps it is time to ask one more question: Who is supporting the people who spend their careers supporting everyone else?

Download the HR Mental Wellbeing Report

The HR Mental Wellbeing Report 2026 explores the mental health, burnout and wellbeing of more than 1,500 HR professionals and provides practical recommendations for organisations that want to build a healthier, more sustainable HR profession.

If you'd like to explore how reflective HR supervision can support your HR team, you can also learn more about our supervision programmes through an informal conversation with us.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is presenteeism?

Presenteeism occurs when people continue working despite being physically or psychologically unwell. Unlike sickness absence, people remain at work but often experience reduced concentration, productivity and wellbeing.

Why is presenteeism a problem in HR?

HR professionals often carry significant emotional responsibility while supporting employees, managers and organisational change. This can make it difficult to step away from work even when experiencing high levels of stress or burnout, increasing the risk of presenteeism.

What is the difference between presenteeism and absenteeism?

Absenteeism means employees are absent from work because of illness or injury. Presenteeism means they continue attending work despite being unwell, which can reduce performance and delay recovery.

How can organisations reduce presenteeism in HR?

Reducing presenteeism requires more than encouraging annual leave. Organisations should create psychologically safe workplaces, manage workloads realistically, recognise the emotional demands of HR work and provide structured support, such as reflective HR supervision.