Are you one those people who absolutely refuses to take a day off – even when you’re really ill?
Do you see sickness as a weakness? Or are you just worried that your boss would be annoyed?
Why? Everyone gets ill…
It’s nothing to be ashamed of and to be perfectly honest; forcing yourself to work when you feel like death is doing more harm to your business, than good
1. You’re making other people ill.
Think about your colleagues!
Showing up with some awful (and contagious) illness may make you look like a real trooper, but don’t you feel even a little bit bad about spreading it onto others?
It’s definitely not going to be great for your business if the entire team come down with the lurgy.
2. You’re making other people mad.
And of course, your team members (and clients) aren’t going to thank you for it!
You need to build positive relationships at work and deciding to infect everyone with your latest illness won’t do you any favours.
At the very least, if you don’t want to take the time off, ask if you can work from home.
3. You’re making yourself more ill.
If you don’t give yourself time to heal and get better, you’re just going to keep on getting worse and worse.
Your immune system will struggle to ward off other illnesses and you could end up catching something much worse – that genuinely necessitates taking time off.
If you get a full-blown flu, you certainly won’t be getting out of bed!
4. You’re not productive anyway.
You’re not going to be functioning well if you’re feeling ill; it’s as simple as that.
In fact, chances are you’ll do more harm than good; making silly mistakes and taking longer to do everything and the work will probably have to be redone (or at least re-checked) when you’re in full health anyway.
Sub-standard work isn’t going to impress your boss or clients now it is? So what’s the point?
5. You’re encouraging bad habits.
By refusing to take a day off when you’re ill – especially if you’re in a senior position – you’re perpetuating the idea that illness is weak; that people who take sick days are lazy.
It’s a horrible cycle that a lot of businesses get caught up in.
Instead, set a good example for your fellow co-workers; the more comfortable people feel taking a day off, the fewer bugs you (and the rest of the team) will be subjected to!
The Line.
Obviously, there is a fine line here.
I am not, in any way, condoning “calling a sickie” when you’re not genuinely ill. (Like this lot).
If you find yourself doing this often, you might want to consider why… are you unhappy at work? Do you feel un-challenged and/or unfulfilled? Do you need a new job?
Recruiter Pro Tip When you call in sick, make sure that you stick to the company’s policy. In most cases the rules will be…
- Make the call yourself.
- Don’t even think about texting or emailing.
- Speak to your line manager.
- And call first thing.
- Keep in touch to let your line manager know when you’ll be back.
Your company will have its own rules; so make sure you check them out.
Of course, this is all easier said than done, if you don't get sick pay... but always consider; is it really worth risking your health? Chances are you'll lose out more if you have to take time off for a long-term sickness.
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