Dr Fundile Nyati, specialist family physician, says going to work is ultimately about productivity.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the average person spends a third of their adult life in the workplace.
Nyati says because people fear losing their jobs and source of income, they overcompensate by coming to work even when they are exhausted.
People feel compelled to be at work even when they are sick because they want to prove themselves to their bosses.
— Dr Fundile Nyati, specialist family physician
The doctor says it is important that the workplace is somewhere employees can function at their peak and mental health is integral to this.
Managers need to focus on outcomes rather than focusing on the presence of a warm body at work behind a desk.
— Dr Fundile Nyati, specialist family physician