8 Reasons to Stay Home When You’re Sick

…and why your workplace will thank you. Helen Luketic knows how staying home if you’re sick benefits both employer and employee. Yet Luketic, Manager of Human Resources metrics at BC Human Resources Management Association, still finds herself struggling with it. “When it’s time for me to call in sick, I stop and say ‘I can’t call in sick. I have deadlines, and there is no one to back me up. I’m on contract.’ It’s always a bit of a battle for me to force myself to call in, and recognize that they can survive without me for one day.” Luketic isn’t the only one who struggles with making that call. A study by Desjardins Financial Security found 42% of Canadians went to work sick or exhausted in 2007. The same year, a Decima Research poll put that number at 79%. Reasons people gave included looming deadlines, work piling up, colleagues being forced to pick up the slack, and lost income. But, our tendency to work through it isn’t necessarily what’s best for ourselves, or our companies. Here are some good reasons why you should just stay home and rest when you’re sick (and catching up on daytime television isn’t even on this list). You might be contagious. Even if you’re careful, you can infect your colleagues, which can force them to take sick days they wouldn’t have needed. Sandi Doyle is a Registered Nurse, and Head Nurse at the Motherhouse at Sisters of Providence of St.Vincent de Paul based in Kingston, Ontario. She reminds us this could be even more serious. “You could potentially kill someone — for example if you work with the elderly, or immunocompromised.” If you don’t know whether you’re contagious or not, it’s best to err on the side of caution, says Doyle.You won’t be productive. When you’re not well, you’re not performing, Luketic says. “You can show up to work when you’re sick, but really you’re just squeaking by. You could make more work for yourself if you’re so sick that you’re making mistakes.” In 2004, Harvard reported that being at work, but not performing at your best can cut your productivity by a third or more. You’ll get better faster if you take the time to rest. A 2009 Swedish study found employees who often go to work feeling sick — termed “sickness presenteeism”, ended up taking more sick days in the long run. Doyle says we don’t always realize the benefits of staying home to recuperate, and suggests you use one or two work days right away, instead of it costing you a week in the long run because you didn’t take the time to get better.You might be dangerous. When you’re sick, you’re not operating at 100%. Doyle says you have an increased risk of injury if you come to work when you’re not feeling well, because your energy levels are lower, and medications can make you groggy. Even if you’re not an air traffic controller, you could risk injury or costly mistakes.You’re costing the company money by showing up. Between infecting your coworkers, and your lowered productivity, your heroic decision to show up at work actually costs the company money. Some researchers believe that the cost of presenteeism could be seven to nine times more than absenteeism.You’re not that fun to be around. If you’re sneezing, coughing, or moaning in pain, your coworkers might be distracted by the noise. Also, let’s face it, sick people are not that much fun to work with. Your spirits are probably low, and you’re a little bit… icky.Your workplace can function without you, for a day or two. (Really!) Luketic is all too familiar with the feeling the company can’t survive without us, even for a few days. “Guilt brings us into work, and we need to get over that. Nothing will fall apart if you’re gone for a few days.” We all like to feel indispensable, but your company needs to be able to get by without you for a short time. Luketic says there should be a plan in case you are ill, or even win the lottery. If your workplace actually can’t function without you, technology allows you to check in anyway. Luketic reminds us, “Right now with technology being what it is, even when I am sick I’m able to check in. You can do the things you absolutely must do from home, but it’s hard to rest if you’re simply working from home.” You need to take the time to get well again. When you take the days you need to rest, rather than force yourself back to work, you’ll feel better. And so will your coworkers!

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