When is a sick day not a sick day?

When is a sick day not a sick day?

Survey findings suggest around 60% of employees are using sick days for other reasons than physical illness. Most commonly, for ‘mental health’ reasons (28%). Another 22% said they’d taken a sick day for ‘a break’, and 10% to catch-up on chores and errands.

The other side of the picture is more staff working while dealing with illness. 45% of the 1,897 respondents in the global survey by CV-building platform Kickresume said they worked while off sick, and only 11% said they used the time solely for recovery.

Grey areas of illness

Workers are still disguising the reasons for taking time off, say the survey authors, claiming a physical illness when the cause it’s actually psychological. This phenomenon is more likely to happen in Europe than the US. US employees have been found to be more willing to report ‘stress’ as a reason for absence.

Let’s be clear

EAPA UK chair, Karl Bennett said: “The issue, increasingly, is whether people feel able to take time off because of a stress-related condition. They’re feeling a psychological strain, worried about their mental health, and the need to find some space. And when they do have a physical illness they’re more likely to worry about not keeping up with messages and deadlines, knowing that to one extent or another, they can at least stay in touch remotely with their phone or laptop. So there’s a blurring of what sick days are for, mixed up with feelings of guilt.

“In this situation it’s important that HR makes it clear what they expect from employees — and it could be argued it’s a reflection of the wellbeing offering in general. Do people feel supported, their needs understood? HR need to be explicit about when sick leave should be taken and why, including the organisation’s appreciation of the potential for burnout, and how that leave should be used to switch off, for genuine rest and recovery.”