Heartland

Ten million extra sick days last year

Workplace absence has increased for the first time in five years, adding an extra ten million days to a problem that cost business £11.6bn last year alone.

A survey of over 500 firms by the CBI and AXA Insurance, published today, shows that over three-quarters of companies suspect employees of taking "unwarranted" long-weekends by calling-in sick on Fridays or Mondays.

Seventy-eight per cent of firms surveyed said there was either a definite or possible link between patterns of absence and the unauthorised extension of the weekend.

John Cridland, CBI Deputy Director-General, said: "Firms understand that the majority of absence is due to genuine minor sickness. But absence is a serious and expensive concern that is on the increase.

"This rise has been caused by a growing level of service sector absence that may be the direct result of the tough year endured by the sector. As costs rose in 2003, many services firms were forced to slim down and conduct the same amount of work with fewer staff. This would have increased pressure on employees and possibly affected morale, leading to an increase in absence."

The survey is timely - supermarkets recently announced moves to end sick pay for sick leave of three days or less and, with the Euro 2004 football tournament due to start in a few weeks time, the CBI/AXA findings suggest that many companies will be concerned about staff awarding themselves yet more days off.

No comment.

surely if the workers were happy and well looked after they wouldnt need to take sick days

For example im a student and i work for Argos, where I get minimum wage for running around like a silly bugger, and taking abuse of the public. Do i feel any loyality to the company? erm.. no....

No! Not for the last 11 years. It was back in 1993 that I started my own business. If I don't work, I get no money. Sad but true.

But years ago as an employee, I did it sometimes. Just don't tell my old boss now, k?

I'll admit to doing it, but only very rarely and more than one day at a time, with only 20 days hols a year sometimes its necessary

Everyone pulls a sicky!! Well people who hate their jobs anyway!! The other people are just lucky bastards.

Too many times recently, though I usually take it as a holiday rather than sick. Which is why:

Thrash Harry wrote:

Black Planet wrote:I've missed you and Harry going at it.

I don't smoke so I don't drink so I don't stay awake shouting.

A man's got to know the limitations of his boss' patience.

Never, actually. I've only had one day off sick since leaving school and that was a genuine illness.

Why? Well:

a: I'm a smug git.
b: I don't get sick often.
c: If I skive then it's the colleagues who I value who get dumped in the crap.
d: It's more fun trying to spread sickness and disease around the office while dramatically playing the martyr than it is sitting at home watching daytime TV and feeling wretched.
e: My working hours are always fairly flexible so I can normally get legitimate time off when needed.

I very rarely take time off work when ill, even though I dislike my job.
Guess that protestant work ethic must have been ingrained in me as a child.
Even though I'm not particularly close to any of my colleagues, I don't like to leave them at the sharp end by pulling a sickie.

Plus I'm one of those souls that seems to suffer from instant karma i.e. I never get off with anything.

mibies aye, mibies naw

Red Sunsets wrote:mibies aye, mibies naw

talking Scottish again I see....

I'll put you down as a yes!

Two day weekends aren't enough. How can a person do all they really want to do in two days? This is assuming they don't love their job of course. But 5 days out of 7 at work? Too much.

Never.....thought I was going to have to chuck a sickie to attend to something pressing...but have been given the day off!!!!!!!!! Admittedly its unpaid leave but still ne'er a sickie.

It's not that I love my job...it's just I hate the thought of someone else pootling through my stuff to try and find my planning

OOh I've long been a keen admirer of the three day weekend. One day to do the stuff like shopping, banking, bills/letters, cleaning and stuff. One day to do something exciting and the final day to do feck all. My idea of heaven.

There are just some days when you just don't want to get out of bed. I don't understand these people who don't pull the odd sicky every now and then! I'm quite lucky though I still get paid for any sick days so I don't lose any of that precious money of mine.......like it'd be alot to lose!

Duvet Days

http://www.irishjobs.ie/resource_centre ... D=43&SID=5

It's not the same as skiving though is it. There's not that satisfaction of getting one over the boss, or feeling really naughty.

snubnoseuk wrote:Duvet Days

http://www.irishjobs.ie/resource_centre ... D=43&SID=5

It's not the same as skiving though is it. There's not that satisfaction of getting one over the boss, or feeling really naughty.

I call them mental health days, and take sick leave. When I'm really feeling guilty over it, I do what Harry does, I take annual leave. And then I just book my 4 day weekends anytime we have an official 3 day holiday weekend. Which is this weekend! Thank God....

Black Planet wrote:I call them mental health days, and take sick leave. When I'm really feeling guilty over it, I do what Harry does, I take annual leave. And then I just book my 4 day weekends anytime we have an official 3 day holiday weekend. Which is this weekend! Thank God....

Ditto!

I can't handle that structured way of working. Life's too short to be stuck in one place, 5 days a week and 9 hours a day imo. I've done it and it nearly drove me mad.

snubnoseuk wrote:I can't handle that structured way of working. Life's too short to be stuck in one place, 5 days a week and 9 hours a day imo. I've done it and it nearly drove me mad.

And what do you think it's doing to me each and every day I am there???? And NOW I am two doors down from my boss, who now can watch each and every move I make oh so easily!!!! my old office was literally a city block away in walk distance. (yes my office covers a full city block.)

@BP I'm with you on that situation - feeling like you're being watched. I used to have a boss who watched me like a hawk, mainly because she didn't understand me and how I worked. If you weren't hunched over your PC concentrating then you weren't working, in her eyes. I used to sit back and think through how to do something before launching into it. But she liked people to look busy.