National Sickie Day sees more employees calling in sick than usual

The first Monday of February has been dubbed National Sickie Day with many workers taking a break from the daily grind

National Sickie Day sees more employees calling in sick than usual

When it’s dark and dreary outside it’s hard to tear yourself away from the sanctuary of snug sheets. With flu season well under way, dwindling attendance is hardly surprising but if last year’s figures are anything to go by, businesses should fear thousands phoning in sick. Last year’s National Sickie Day saw an estimated 375,000 absences in the UK, costing UK businesses an estimated £3m. Despite having just had a weekend off, many took the last Sickie Day off due to feeling stressed and over worked.

Whilst many sick days are taken due to poor health, various other reasons have been attributed to workers pulling a sickie according to a survey by the Fine Bedding Company. The weather came in first place, with a startling 38% of 1,600 people admitting that staying in bed outweighed facing the cold. Next in line was genuine illness, followed by absence due to being hungover.

What excuses will workers give bosses this year? Last night was the end of the Dry January and parched partygoers will have had a heavy weekend. Icy weather will see cars break down and with so many winter lurgies lurking around, there will be a few empty seats in the office. The first week of February is also the most common week for job interviews, with the Christmas period being rife with epiphanies.

The Fine Bedding Company survey highlighted some questionable morals with participants admitting to faking an injury or, even worse, a bereavement. The survey also found some creative cop-outs used in the past, including: “I’ve accidentally sent my uniform to the charity shop so I need to go and buy it back.”

For those workers who trudged through the cold and battled illness to come to work today, we salute you for your dedication on the one day when pulling a sickie is almost to be expected. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jade Saunders
Jade Saunders
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