July 2008

Sick days

Back in January of this year, I was struck down with a rather mysterious illness. It wiped me out, and I mean I was motionless laying flat on my back for four days wishing of nothing other than a visit from the Fairy Godmother with a magic potion for my cure. I had a reoccurring high temperature, unbearable nausea, intense muscle and joint pain and mind-boggling whole-body weakness.

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I had blood test after blood test. Even at one point they couldn't draw any more blood from me I was officially a pincushion for Nanna's sewing kit. The results of these blood tests, well at one point, possibly Hep A, possibly Glandular Fever, possibly nothing. In the end just a virus.

But what did I learn from this frightening experience? Well I learnt that I hate being away from work. Don't laugh it's true.

I have always known that I was born to work. From the age of seven I oozed entrepreneurial-ism. I had front yard stalls selling arts and crafts I had made. I did paper runs, baby-sitting, anything to earn money. Not a day over 14 and nine months (the legal age to start working in Australia) I started my first 'real' job. I was a check-out-chic at Coles and proud of it! I was a working-class woman.

From there my passion for business grew and I strived to be the best at whatever I put my hand to in the 'working world'.

So where am I leading with this?

Ah that's right. I love being employed. I love the thrill and excitement I get from adrenaline filled days when things aren't quite going to plan, but once the web is tweaked a little and finally weaved to perfection, everything works out impeccably, sometimes even better than you could have imagined.

I love the dynamics of business. The constantly changing environment. The ups and downs. The frustrations and satisfactions. The turbulence that is 'business'!

Unfortunately for business not everyone feels the same as I do about working. I can't seem to understand why? (Pause for giggle). See for me, to be kept from the thing I love, my work for even one day is irritating enough let alone almost two weeks when I was sick in January. But for businesses, small and large, globally, employees are constantly taking sick days for things as small as a broken nail. I am not joking.

I am no prude. I believe that the paid sick day is a privilege. I also believe that employees who are unwell should take time off, not only to better their health, but so they don't infect others in the workplace.

Secretly, I also strongly believe in the mental health day. There is much published research that supports the fact that when we are mentally low (for example stressed) our whole health deteriorates, our immune system is suppressed and consequently, we are prey to all sorts of nasty bugs and viruses better nip it in the bud early I say.

So I am by no means criticising those of us who take the sick day for genuine reasons, we all get sick, and that is something we truly cannot help. I am however going to educate those who see the privileged sick day as an opportunity to do the long overdue washing about the costs associated with your sick day to businesses and colleagues.

$54 million. This is the staggering estimated cost of sick days inflicted on Australian businesses each year!

Not only do sick days cost businesses a goldmine think about your colleagues. If you work in a team environment, think about the burden you impose on them. For example, if you worked in an advertising agency your tasks would be predominately client driven. If you call in sick one day and a client has an urgent request, this job then falls on a work colleague who, mind you, has a hectic schedule themselves and would have loved to have taken the day off to sleep in late and catch up on Oprah.

Recently, a survey conducted by recruitment consultancy Talent2 found that 40 per cent of Australian employees feel justified in taking one day off every now and then. Further to this survey, a study conducted by psychologists at Onetest found that many sick days are taken to recharge or attend to unfinished 'personal admin', such as running household errands. However, work dissatisfaction emerged as the primary reason for illegitimate sick days.

In the United States, an employment survey conducted showed that only 38 per cent of workers who call in sick are actually ill.  The survey illustrated that when people call in sick they are doing so for family issues (23 per cent), personal reasons (18 per cent), stress (11 per cent), or a feeling that they are entitled to their sick time (10 per cent).

So now with most of the public holidays done and dusted for the year ... the test begins. How many 'sick days' do you think you'll need to take?

Martha Maciejowski is a member of Babes in Business and a PR Consultant for KD Public Relations.

Martha Maciejowski PR Consultant KD Public Relations e martha@kdpr.com.au w www.kdpr.com.au