The Reciprocal Effects of Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms on Presenteeism and the Role of Health-Oriented Leadership

Even when experiencing symptoms, people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) still often go to work, which aligns with the construct of presenteeism - attending work while ill. Existing evidence highlights the detrimental effects of presenteeism in acute conditions, but less is known about chronic conditions. Besides, leadership behavior is critical in follower presenteeism, as leaders’ health-oriented care towards followers (StaffCare) may impact followers’ decisions to work while managing MS symptoms. This study focuses on the reciprocal effects of MS symptoms and presenteeism by analyzing existing data from a 3-wave monthly online study carried out in 2020. Presenteeism remained stable at the monthly level, but we did not find reciprocal relationships between presenteeism and symptoms. StaffCare behavior did not buffer the hypothesized effects of quantitative demands and symptoms on presenteeism but was negatively related to presenteeism. In addition, we extracted three factors from MS symptoms, and further exploratory analyses show a quadratic relationship between presenteeism and symptoms. By highlighting the interplay between disease symptoms and presenteeism, the study extends presenteeism and health-oriented leadership literature to chronic conditions such as MS. It also provides practical insights for individuals, leaders, and organizations on the relation between disease and work. Keywords: Multiple Sclerosis (MS), presenteeism, symptoms, health-oriented leadership, quantitative demands