Presenteeism in the education sector: a cross-sectional study of psychological distress among Malaysia academics in higher education institution

Presenteeism refers to employees attending work despite health issues, reduced productivity, or low psychological engagement. While it occurs across various sectors, it is particularly common in education, surpassing even healthcare. This trend reflects the demanding nature of academic roles, which require teaching, student support, and professional development. Academics, often intrinsically motivated, tend to prioritize their duties, attending work despite physical or psychological distress. Psychological distress—such as anxiety, burnout, and emotional strain—plays a significant role in influencing presenteeism. Therefore, the purpose of this cross-sectional study was to better understand the psychological distress has a significant relationship on presenteeism among academics in Malaysia. Using a quantitative research method, 382 academics from Malaysian public and private universities were chosen by stratified random sampling. This research was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) to assess relationships and statistical significance. The study found a significant negative relationship between psychological distress and presenteeism. This implies that as psychological distress increases, the intensity of presenteeism decreases possibly due to mental exhaustion eventually forcing withdrawal from work. These results underscore the urgent need for institutional strategies aimed at addressing psychological distress among academic staff. These strategies should include reducing excessive workloads and expectations, increasing available resources, maintaining optimal staffing ratios to meet demands effectively, and cultivating a culture of self-care and well-being among faculty and staff. The article concludes with further discussion and suggestions for future research.