An employee with high presenteeism (i.e. one
with a low score on the SPS-6) is physically present on the
work floor but experiences decreased productivity and below
normal work quality due to an illness or other constraint [18].
This decreased productivity is not constant over time but
varies depending on the etiology and physiology of that particular
illness [19]. This is generally a dynamic process with a
different impact from day to day due to, e.g., acute flare-ups
and exacerbations [11]. Koopman et al. [11] stated that
because presenteeism is variable and therefore unstable over
time, individuals completing the SPS-6 instrument will not
show consistent results over time. For this reason Koopman
et al. [11] did not evaluate the test–retest reliability of the
SPS-6. There is preliminary evidence that some workplace
health promotion programs positively affect presenteeism [3,
17]. Thus, although presenteeism may vary in one person, it
might be important to measure the effects of presenteeism in
groups, for example before and after a health intervention