A new study from workplace health specialists Lime Health has found that money worries are the leading reason for UK retail workers hiding illness at work.
The study revealed that 67% of retail workers feel the need to pretend to be well at work when they’re not. Of that number, 21% say they do so often, and an alarming one in 10 say they always feel they have to pretend to be well at work when they’re not.
The findings highlight a significant escalation in pleasanteeism, the pressure employees feel to appear “fine” at work despite physical or mental ill-health. While presenteeism means working while unwell, pleasenteeism is the need people feel to hide illness altogether, keeping problems invisible, delaying support and increasing long-term risk for both employees and employers.
Money worries are the leading reason for retail workers hiding their illness at work, with 53% of respondents citing this. This was followed by concerns around management understanding (26%) and uncertainty around how to ask for support (18%).
The fast-paced environment of retail work combined with additional challenges such as staff shortages and customer service demands create a high-pressure environment that makes managerial support and psychological safety crucial to worker wellbeing and satisfaction.
Lime’s research revealed that pleasenteeism has risen across the whole UK workforce to 69%, up from 51% in 2021.
Commenting on the findings, Shaun Williams, Founder and CEO of Lime Health, said:
“It is deeply concerning, though not surprising, to see pleasanteeism rise from just over half of the workforce to nearly 70% in only a few years. When so many people feel compelled to hide how they’re really feeling at work, it tells us the issue isn’t simply absence, it’s what’s happening while people are still present.
“This kind of hidden ill-health is largely invisible to employers, yet it has a very real impact on performance, engagement and long-term workforce sustainability.
“In a sector like retail that experiences high employee burnout and turnover, creating a positive workplace culture to boost employee satisfaction, engagement and retention, is crucial.”
