BACKGROUND
Loss of productivity is a result of absence from work (absenteeism) or of working with limitations due to illness (presenteeism). Effectiveness of e-mental health interventions in the workplace to improve these outcomes is still unknown, and it is potentially mediated by psychological variables such as stress levels.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of an e-mental health intervention to reduce absenteeism and presenteeism in employees, as well as to investigate the mediating role of stress in this effect.
METHODS
Employees of six companies in two countries participated in a randomized control trial (210 in the intervention group and 322 in the waitlist control group). Participants in the intervention group could use the Kelaa Mental Resilience app for 4 weeks, and those from the two groups were asked to complete assessments at baseline, during the intervention, post-intervention, and after a two-week follow-up. Absenteeism and presenteeism were assessed by means of the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire: General Health questionnaire and general and cognitive stress through the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire – Revised Version.
RESULTS
Intervention did not have a direct effect on presenteeism or absenteeism. Nevertheless, general stress significantly mediated the intervention effect on presenteeism (p = .002), and cognitive stress on both presenteeism (p <.001) and absenteeism (p = .024) right after the intervention. Such effects were not found at two-weeks’ follow-up.
CONCLUSIONS
While no direct effect of the intervention on productivity was seen, our findings suggest that this effect was mediated by stress reduction. As such, e-mental health interventions that address stress in employees might also indirectly reduce presenteeism and absenteeism in these employees. Future research is needed to better understand the mechanism of action of interventions on productivity in the workplace.