A study of 10,000 adults across the UK has found that more than a third of employees insist on going to work when they are suffering from the effects of colds and flu.
The research, conducted by natural cold remedy Kaloba, revealed that 37% of workers consider it unacceptable to stay at home if they think or know they have a cold or the flu.
It also found that just 10% of those working in the health sector would take a day off when experiencing symptoms of infection, however teachers were found to be the most likely to go into work with a cold, with just 9% saying they would stay at home.
Experts have warned people suffering from bugs not to spread infection by going into work, and Dr Michael Dixon, GP and Chairman of the NHS Alliance, said:
“When it comes to a cold or the flu, we’re at our most contagious at the first sneeze. However, at this stage the damage to the people around us has often already been done – the incubation period for the virus can be up to two days before symptoms occur.
“Employees and employers should be diligent over the next few weeks, the peak season for cold and flu, in preventing the spread of infection and should employ the NHS ‘Catch it, Bin it, Kill it’ policy.
“If you’re suffering from cold and flu symptoms, you should stay at home, rest, drink plenty of fluids to help increase your recovery time and prevent the spread of infection.”
I work in an organisation where sick absence has a detrimental affect on the number of points you are given during the annual performance management round. This in turn impacts your pay ie more sick absences = less points = less pay. The norm therefore is for staff to attend work when they are ill. Also there is a “one rule fits all” mentality so someone who had had an operation is treated in the same way as someone who for example regularly phones in sick on a Monday.
I have to agree with Susan.
I worked for an employer where sick day episodes were counted and a ‘three strikes for disciplinary action’ was in force.
People were terrified to take time off if they were ill and would use annual leave days to eliminate the need for black marks on their personnel record.
If you felt really ill and a day off would do the trick, staff, who would be penalised in any event for that one day off, would take a month off. Counter productive!