People coming into work when they're ill

c68zapdsm5i1ru

Someone has been in work doing the dying swan all over the place for the past couple of days. Their area is not particularly busy, she will be paid if she stays off work, there will be no issue made of it. But no, she insisted on coming in, coughing and sneezing all over the place, looking all pale and miserable, and telling us all how awful she felt.

She is now out and on antibiotics, but a couple of other people who work in the same room as her are starting to feel shivery and one girl is getting a scratchy throat and generally people are annoyed that this woman didn't just stay at home out of people's way.

I understand that sometimes it can be difficult to stay at home when you're sick (won't be paid, unreasonable employer or somesuch). But in circumstances such as the above, why can't people use common sense and stay at home and not spread their germs all over the place?

nkav86

Wasn't me I swear!

Winterlong

Worst is those people who have the option of working from home but come in to spread their sick-germs on the rest of us.

Graces7

Kashton Hundreds Laborer wrote: »

Someone has been in work doing the dying swan all over the place for the past couple of days. Their area is not particularly busy, she will be paid if she stays off work, there will be no issue made of it. But no, she insisted on coming in, coughing and sneezing all over the place, looking all pale and miserable, and telling us all how awful she felt.

She is now out and on antibiotics, but a couple of other people who work in the same room as her are starting to feel shivery and one girl is getting a scratchy throat and generally people are annoyed that this woman didn't just stay at home out of people's way.

I understand that sometimes it can be difficult to stay at home when you're sick (won't be paid, unreasonable employer or somesuch). But in circumstances such as the above, why can't people use common sense and stay at home and not spread their germs all over the place?

Great sympathy. And we are raised maybe to be martyrs?

nkav86

I think some people just don't want to wallow in the sickness and like to work though it. But I agree that for the sake of everyone else, if the option to stay out is given, you should take it.

Goya

Graces7 wrote: »

Great sympathy. And we are raised maybe to be martyrs?

Well no need to be - it's not always selfless, it's actually selfish in this scenario; looking for brownie points. And surely saying they should stay in bed is sympathy?

conor222

Sometimes its as simple as cant be out for more than 2 days without a doctors cert, dont have 50 quid to go see a doctor until payday. Better come in so. I've been in that spot before

suicide_circus

The culture in many places of work is entirely hypocritical on this. On one hand it's all about "wellness" and telling people they should have stayed home and on the other sanctioning people (officially but mostly unofficially) for taking sick leave and it hurting their standing and prospects within a firm.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

I only miss work if I literally cannot get out of bed or am admitted to hospital. I've stayed in work after passing out, I've stayed when I caught the vomiting bug, and ive gone to work and had my GP ring me with results of blood tests so serious she a) was shocked I was in work and b) ordered me to hospital straight away. I've gone in for a half day just until I could organise cover for myself after no sleep being up all night after taking a morphine tablet.

In my job, I have no choice but to go, we run our day right and everyone needs to pull their weight. In my old job I held the keys so had to be there to open and close, and deal with any problems that came up, organising rotas/cover. That couldn't be done from home.

I am the kind of person who needs to keep going. If I stop, and start feeling sorry for myself that's the last thing I need. I'm the kind of person that only responds positively to tough love. Kid gloves and sympathy leaves me feeling sorry for myself and I'll feel worse for it.

c68zapdsm5i1ru

LexieOnRale wrote: »

I only miss work if I literally cannot get out of bed or am admitted to hospital. I've stayed in work after passing out, I've stayed when I caught the vomiting bug, and ive gone to work and had my GP ring me with results of blood tests so serious she a) was shocked I was in work and b) ordered me to hospital straight away. I've gone in for a half day just until I could organise cover for myself after no sleep being up all night after taking a morphine tablet.

In my job, I have no choice but to go, we run our day right and everyone needs to pull their weight. In my old job I held the keys so had to be there to open and close, and deal with any problems that came up, organising rotas/cover. That couldn't be done from home.

I am the kind of person who needs to keep going. If I stop, and start feeling sorry for myself that's the last thing I need. I'm the kind of person that only responds positively to tough love. Kid gloves and sympathy leaves me feeling sorry for myself and I'll feel worse for it.

Well it's not all about the 'kind of' person you are. Sometimes you have to think of others. I don't know what your job is, but those circumstances sound ridiculous. Is there no plan B for days when you're very ill?

brevity

In truth a lot of people cannot afford to be out out sick as they don't get paid for sick days. Then of course it's 50 quid for the doctor. Someone could be down a lot of money for calling in sick.

The culture and attitude needs to change though. There is a stigma attached to calling in sick. It's totally counter productive in my opinion.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Kashton Hundreds Laborer wrote: »

Well it's not all about the 'kind of' person you are. Sometimes you have to think of others. I don't know what your job is, but those circumstances sound ridiculous. Is there no plan B for days when you're very ill?

When I'm very ill I'll be holed up in my office but that requires me going in, organising cover, cancelling and moving appointments, being available for difficult clients, complaints, orders, problems. If I'm not contagious and just unwell with my condition, I'll stay working directly with clients. I managed in my last job so it was always my problem to sort if I wasn't going in, so it was easier to go and sort it. Now I'm my own boss so I have no choice

Akrasia

LexieOnRale wrote: »

In my job, I have no choice but to go, we run our day right and everyone needs to pull their weight.

Your job doesn't run the day right if there is zero contingency for someone not able to come into work for personal or health reasons.

A well managed workplace is not one where there is 100% productivity all of the time. There needs to be some additional capacity to cover for emergency situations, and to take advantage of business opportunities that may arise.

Bambi985

I don't get "sickie" people. The type that gets the flu and a chest infection and tonsillitis and a stomach bug every year without fail. And takes at least one sick day every month or two to deal with it all. And there's one of these in every office, and they grind everyone's gears for the strain they put on the whole team who have to pick up slack for them every other week.

I get sick -truly sick enough to be unable to work or do anything other than lie in bed convinced I'm dying - probably once or twice a decade. The flu last year where I couldn't eat or breathe properly and dropped a stone off my already slim frame. Took two days for that. Before that, probably tonsillitis around 2009. I'm not some super human either, I just don't succumb to a few sniffles and take the piss every other month.

I'd be more on your colleague's side tbh. The pisstaking "sickies" ruin it for the rest of us, who are ambitious and value how we're seen by our bosses and don't want to fracture trust just because there's another sick-day addict in the office who makes everyone automatically disbelieve they are actually ill.

wistfuleyes

If you look up the NHS website it says that you are fine to go to work (even if you have a cold)...and yes, colds are contagious. Sometimes people just have a heavy workload that needs to be done and if they aren't actually feeling incapacitated, even if they have a cold, I see no point in staying home.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Akrasia wrote: »

Your job doesn't run the day right if there is zero contingency for someone not able to come into work for personal or health reasons.

A well managed workplace is not one where there is 100% productivity all of the time. There needs to be some additional capacity to cover for emergency situations, and to take advantage of business opportunities that may arise.

We work on appointments and 80% of clients will only want to go to a specific staff member. So, of course if someone is unwell then they can't help that and once they call in well re organise their day, call clients to re schedule with original sick staff member or move them to another column. It was harder for me to do that because there was nobody I could ring, I was the one people would ring. You would need someone there if there was an issue.

bren2001

LexieOnRale wrote: »

When I'm very ill I'll be holed up in my office but that requires me going in, organising cover, cancelling and moving appointments, being available for difficult clients, complaints, orders, problems. If I'm not contagious and just unwell with my condition, I'll stay working directly with clients. I managed in my last job so it was always my problem to sort if I wasn't going in, so it was easier to go and sort it. Now I'm my own boss so I have no choice

That's just ridiculous, of course you have a choice. No company and no job is worth risking my own health for. If I'm not contagious to other people I will try to go in but there are times I'm just no able too (granted, that hasn't happened in a very long time).

Badly Drunk Boy

suicide_circus wrote: »

The culture in many places of work is entirely hypocritical on this. On one hand it's all about "wellness" and telling people they should have stayed home and on the other sanctioning people (officially but mostly unofficially) for taking sick leave and it hurting their standing and prospects within a firm.

Exactly! Today is my first day in this week. I texted my manager on Sunday to tell him I'd be out on Monday,and early Tuesday got in touch to say I'd be out for another day.

I really thought I'd be grand for Wednesday but as I was getting ready to go in, I knew it wouldn't be a good idea, so I rang him. He said okay "But you know if you miss tomorrow, you'll need a doctor's cert and you'll have to fill out a 'Back-to-work form?".

I don't get paid sick days but I've carried over 20 leave days from last year (which he wants me to use up) so how about putting the 3 days down as holidays?

_Kaiser_

Winterlong wrote: »

Worst is those people who have the option of working from home but come in to spread their sick-germs on the rest of us.

I'm doing exactly that myself this week (WFH I mean). The downside of course is that you're never "really" off then either.

Goya

wistfuleyes wrote: »

If you look up the NHS website it says that you are fine to go to work (even if you have a cold)...and yes, colds are contagious. Sometimes people just have a heavy workload that needs to be done and if they aren't actually feeling incapacitated, even if they have a cold, I see no point in staying home.

But the opening post is referring to someone who had a lot more than just a manageable cold - they ended up on an antibiotic and ultimately out sick. I don't think anyone is saying you should even stay home when you just have a mild cold.

What these martyrs don't consider too, when they go to work miserably ill and unable to be productive, is that others who pick up their illness could get even sicker - for example if they are prone to chest infections or sinusitis.

razorblunt

It's a tough one to gauge, how long to stay home for.
Do I stay home with the sniffles?
If I was coughing and hacking fair enough. In the office here we're quite good and telling someone to work from home when they're sick.

Little CuChulainn

If you are sick just stay at home. You'll get better faster. You won't infect others. You won't annoy people with your symptoms.

_Kaiser_

Little CuChulainn wrote: »

If you are sick just stay at home. You'll get better faster.

That's true. I find the aircon in our places definitely makes any symptoms worse when I've a cold

Little CuChulainn

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

That's true. I find the aircon in our places definitely makes any symptoms worse when I've a cold

They might as well be biological weapons if there is a sick person in.

Grayson

Akrasia wrote: »

Your job doesn't run the day right if there is zero contingency for someone not able to come into work for personal or health reasons.

A well managed workplace is not one where there is 100% productivity all of the time. There needs to be some additional capacity to cover for emergency situations, and to take advantage of business opportunities that may arise.

True but that doesn't mean that everyone's place is well managed.

My last job wasn't. I went into work in bits on occasion because I had to.

c68zapdsm5i1ru

Bambi985 wrote: »

I don't get "sickie" people. The type that gets the flu and a chest infection and tonsillitis and a stomach bug every year without fail. And takes at least one sick day every month or two to deal with it all. And there's one of these in every office, and they grind everyone's gears for the strain they put on the whole team who have to pick up slack for them every other week.

I get sick -truly sick enough to be unable to work or do anything other than lie in bed convinced I'm dying - probably once or twice a decade. The flu last year where I couldn't eat or breathe properly and dropped a stone off my already slim frame. Took two days for that. Before that, probably tonsillitis around 2009. I'm not some super human either, I just don't succumb to a few sniffles and take the piss every other month.

I'd be more on your colleague's side tbh. The pisstaking "sickies" ruin it for the rest of us, who are ambitious and value how we're seen by our bosses and don't want to fracture trust just because there's another sick-day addict in the office who makes everyone automatically disbelieve they are actually ill.

My colleague was genuinely sick, not 'pisstaking'. I think people with your attitude make it very difficult for colleagues to stay at home when they're genuinely unwell, because they sense this silent disapproval and suspicion. There's a big difference between someone who calls in sick everytime they get the slightest sniffle, or because they have a hangover, and people who need to take a few days off now and again because they are genuinely ill, possibly with something contagious.

And re your comment about rarely being off work: I used to be like that (although not 'ambitious' or foolish enough to take just two days off for what was obviously a very serious bout of flu).. Then, in the past year and a half, I got three very bad sinus infections which necessitated a doctor's cert each time. I'm glad I didn't go around being judgmental about other people's sicknesses when I was fortunate enough to enjoy good health. I'd be feeling very silly now.

Boom_Bap

I've sent people home before because they were physically not capable of working whilst they were trying to work through illness or because it was impacting their performance.
Also, I can sympathise because I've been there before and working through illness doesn't help get you better.

In my place, it doesn't impact them financially if they are off sick, and there is always a way to redistribute the workload. I'd always encourage to stay home and rest.....sometimes I forget that about myself and try to struggel through.

Bambi985

Bambi985 wrote: »

I don't get "sickie" people. The type that gets the flu and a chest infection and tonsillitis and a stomach bug every year without fail. And takes at least one sick day every month or two to deal with it all. And there's one of these in every office, and they grind everyone's gears for the strain they put on the whole team who have to pick up slack for them every other week.

I get sick -truly sick enough to be unable to work or do anything other than lie in bed convinced I'm dying - probably once or twice a decade. The flu last year where I couldn't eat or breathe properly and dropped a stone off my already slim frame. Took two days for that. Before that, probably tonsillitis around 2009. I'm not some super human either, I just don't succumb to a few sniffles and take the piss every other month.

I'd be more on your colleague's side tbh. The pisstaking "sickies" ruin it for the rest of us, who are ambitious and value how we're seen by our bosses and don't want to fracture trust just because there's another sick-day addict in the office who makes everyone automatically disbelieve they are actually ill.

Everyone is different. If I went to work with the flu or whatever I would be absolutely useless. These days I'm more or less my own boss and the same applies. I don't understand this compulsion to turn up even if you're incapable of being there. Then of course people like to talk about it at length "my hand was just chopped off but there's no way I wouldn't go in to work"

whoopsadoodles

Kashton Hundreds Laborer wrote: »

My colleague was genuinely sick, not 'pisstaking'.

I think you took Bambi up wrong.

It's the pisstakers who make the people like your genuine case, feel like they shouldn't call in sick. Not that you shouldn't call in sick if you are genuinely too sick too work.

c68zapdsm5i1ru

whoopsadoodles wrote: »

I think you took Bambi up wrong.

It's the pisstakers who make the people like your genuine case, feel like they shouldn't call in sick. Not that you shouldn't call in sick if you are genuinely too sick too work.

I was assuming that until her remark that she was on the side of my colleague, which I presume meant that she thought she was right to come in.

pickarooney

It's really extremely difficult to work, or walk, or get out of bed with the flu. You shouldn't be going into an office with a highly contagious, debilitating illness. The 'flu' though, I.e. a mild fever and a head cold, gway ourra dah.

whoopsadoodles

Kashton Hundreds Laborer wrote: »

I was assuming that until her remark that she was on the side of my colleague, which I presume meant that she thought she was right to come in.

I took it as she was on the side of your colleague in that she understood why she felt pressured to come in.

Bambi985

Kashton Hundreds Laborer wrote: »

My colleague was genuinely sick, not 'pisstaking'.

I didn't say she wasn't. I said the pisstaking people make it difficult for people who are genuinely ill to take sick days - because there's a perception that they'll be lumped in with the "oh my allergies are acting up" brigade who routinely schedule sick days for themselves for any and every reason.

Your colleague clearly should have stayed at home. But she probably didn't want to seem like she was slacking off, she didn't want her reputation to be affected - which it may not have been, but your brain doesn't always think that way when you've worked in offices with the aforementioned types and seen other colleagues rolling their eyes or having their days ruined yet again because of them.

B.A._Baracus

I know a lot of people don't do this, but some people in fact like to pass it on to others.
They feel since they had the unfortunate luck to catch it, it's gonna be your turn next.

Bambi985

Kashton Hundreds Laborer wrote: »

I was assuming that until her remark that she was on the side of my colleague, which I presume meant that she thought she was right to come in.

Not right: but I can empathise. I can understand why she would.

Blazer

After numerous cases of people or coming in sick and infecting people HR started to crack down after one particular bad bout left 9 people out of a 13 man team out sick for over a week. Basically told if you're sick stay at home and take a sick day or work if you had an online connection but under no circumstances come into the office.

pickarooney

B.A._Baracus wrote: »

I know a lot of people don't do this, but some people in fact like to pass it on to others.
They feel since they had the unfortunate luck to catch it, it's gonna be your turn next.

Helping everyone build up immunity and forestalling the propogation of supervirii.

True heroes.

Lorelli!

I'd rarely ring in sick and don't get sick often, maybe the odd cold. I have found in a few places where I've worked, that if you did ring in sick, the manager's tone on the phone would change and they would become very abrupt. They'd basically give you the cold shoulder for calling in sick.

Riddle101

Not as easy as it seems. I know one of workplace that looked down on the idea of taking work off due to being sick. They seemed to imply that unless you were practically dead or in hospital, then taking time off for something like a cough, cold, or vomiting bug would't be tolerated.

It really depends on the severity of the illness though. If I had a cough, or cold I would still go into work because I can't afford to take time off, and i'm still physically able for work. If I had a vomiting bug or the flu then I would ring sick because I wouldn't be physically able to work while running to the toilet every few minutes, or failing that being bedridden due to the flu.

AudreyHepburn

I would be slow to take a sick day to honest and it's not out of selfishness or anything close to it.

I just don't ever want to be one of those people that calls in sick for every little thing.

That said if I have something like a stomach bug I will call in, not to so would be beyond selfish, unhygienic and just downright disgusting.

That some here would come to work with the likes of the Vomiting Bug or conditions serious enough that they should be in hospital beggars belief.

There is always a choice when it gets that bad.

Goya

AudreyHepburn wrote: »

I would be slow to take a sick day to honest and it's not out of selfishness or anything close to it.

I just don't ever want to be one of those people that calls in sick for every little thing

But there is a vast chasm between phoning in sick when you are too unwell to be productive (this doesn't mean practically having to be at death's door either) and phoning in sick for every little thing. People wouldn't see you as the latter for doing the former.

I had a cold before Christmas but was still well able to go to work, but the next morning after a night of fever... ok I could have gotten out of the bed and gone to work but I felt miserable and needed sleep (slept until the evening) so why do that to myself? I felt the same the next day, but by the third day i felt fine again and returned to work. But I actually wasn't fine and relapsed on the fourth day, however by then it was Christmas. Was sick for Christmas though.

c68zapdsm5i1ru

Goya wrote: »

But there is a vast chasm between phoning in sick when you are too unwell to be productive (this doesn't mean practically having to be at death's door either) and phoning in sick for every little thing. People wouldn't see you as the latter for doing the former.

I had a cold before Christmas but was still well able to go to work, but the next morning after a night of fever... ok I could have gotten out of the bed and gone to work but I felt miserable and needed sleep (slept until the evening) so why do that to myself? I felt the same the next day, but by the third day i felt fine again. Although I actually wasn't, and relapsed on the fourth day but by then it was Christmas. Was sick for Christmas though.

I got a bad chest infection before Christmas and the advice from my doctor was not to go back to work until I was completely recovered because otherwise I'd just pick up the next bug going and be back to square one.

I know some people are a pain in the ass, ringing in sick for every minor thing and creating a culture where sick leave is regarded with suspicion and 'throwing a sickie' becomes a common expression. But there's a happy medium, and going in to work when you're really not well, or rushing back from sick leave before you've properly recovered, can just cause more problems in the long term. Illnesses just start spreading around offices like wildfire, and people end up going out on a second cert., for a longer period of time, when a couple of extra days at home would have seen them completely recovered.

jester77

I can't remember the last time I was sick, but I know if I was, then I would be better able to recover in the office than at home where the kids would be running around and demanding things and not giving me a break. At least in the office I would have some peace.

check_six

A friend once told me that they were 'expected' to 'use up' their sick days in the place they worked. I was slightly flabbergasted so it didn't really sink in until later, but they were saying that they had a 12 day 'sick day' allowance that they were expected to use up each year as it would not carry over. I was so startled that I struggled to even ask what happened if you were actually sick.

Looking back I'm certain that this couldn't be a company policy, and more just a corrosive tradition that had seeped in over time. Still, seems pretty bonkers to me.

Has anyone ever heard the like before?

Dr Crayfish

I had strep throat a couple of years ago and was out of work for about a week. Bad infection, could barely stand up or walk, it was really horrible. I ignored it for a couple of days as I didn't want to pay a GP, but by the time I got to a doctor they said I was close to being hospitalised. When I lived in England you can see a GP for free whenever you want, there's been times where I'm hard up for cash here so I don't go to a doctor, or I ignore things that I should probably get checked out. Then people on the dole get doctors for free... Not really fair is it?

eoinzy2000

Kashton Hundreds Laborer wrote: »

Someone has been in work doing the dying swan all over the place for the past couple of days. Their area is not particularly busy, she will be paid if she stays off work, there will be no issue made of it. But no, she insisted on coming in, coughing and sneezing all over the place, looking all pale and miserable, and telling us all how awful she felt.

She is now out and on antibiotics, but a couple of other people who work in the same room as her are starting to feel shivery and one girl is getting a scratchy throat and generally people are annoyed that this woman didn't just stay at home out of people's way.

I understand that sometimes it can be difficult to stay at home when you're sick (won't be paid, unreasonable employer or somesuch). But in circumstances such as the above, why can't people use common sense and stay at home and not spread their germs all over the place?

Let me guess.. public service? Where you clearly feel it doesnt matter if sick days are taken for an auld sniffle?
If this is the case, you can probably go to your union to get some direction on the matter. That should kill a couple of weeks....

B.A._Baracus

check_six wrote: »

A friend once told me that they were 'expected' to 'use up' their sick days in the place they worked. I was slightly flabbergasted so it didn't really sink in until later, but they were saying that they had a 12 day 'sick day' allowance that they were expected to use up each year as it would not carry over. I was so startled that I struggled to even ask what happened if you were actually sick.

Looking back I'm certain that this couldn't be a company policy, and more just a corrosive tradition that had seeped in over time. Still, seems pretty bonkers to me.

Has anyone ever heard the like before?

Yup. Happens in my mates job. You're given a certain amount of days and then told to use them. IIRC, it's a set number of days given over two years in his job.

But your not ordered to take them! You're just told how many you have left and better to use them as you will lose them.

Wouldn't say corrosive tradition at all (don't know where you got that from) it's just people have days they are entitled too and they should use them up.

lawred2

suicide_circus wrote: »

The culture in many places of work is entirely hypocritical on this. On one hand it's all about "wellness" and telling people they should have stayed home and on the other sanctioning people (officially but mostly unofficially) for taking sick leave and it hurting their standing and prospects within a firm.

In one. Typical double speaking horsesh!t.

harry Bailey esq

Kashton Hundreds Laborer wrote: »

Someone has been in work doing the dying swan all over the place for the past couple of days. Their area is not particularly busy, she will be paid if she stays off work, there will be no issue made of it. But no, she insisted on coming in, coughing and sneezing all over the place, looking all pale and miserable, and telling us all how awful she felt.

She is now out and on antibiotics, but a couple of other people who work in the same room as her are starting to feel shivery and one girl is getting a scratchy throat and generally people are annoyed that this woman didn't just stay at home out of people's way.

The girl you speak of is what's generally referred to as a common or garden lickarse.Geebag,if you were to use my own reference.It reminds me of an ad years ago for lempsip max strength (a flu medication) where the chap turns up to work, a deathly palour on his face and then he has a mug of this stuff and the colour is back in his face. The tagline? 'Lempsip max strength, separates the men from the boys'
What they didn't tell us about this 'brave man' was that guttersnipe probably infected half the poxy office with his filthy germs.

lawred2

Bambi985 wrote: »

I don't get "sickie" people. The type that gets the flu and a chest infection and tonsillitis and a stomach bug every year without fail. And takes at least one sick day every month or two to deal with it all. And there's one of these in every office, and they grind everyone's gears for the strain they put on the whole team who have to pick up slack for them every other week.

I get sick -truly sick enough to be unable to work or do anything other than lie in bed convinced I'm dying - probably once or twice a decade. The flu last year where I couldn't eat or breathe properly and dropped a stone off my already slim frame. Took two days for that. Before that, probably tonsillitis around 2009. I'm not some super human either, I just don't succumb to a few sniffles and take the piss every other month.

I'd be more on your colleague's side tbh. The pisstaking "sickies" ruin it for the rest of us, who are ambitious and value how we're seen by our bosses and don't want to fracture trust just because there's another sick-day addict in the office who makes everyone automatically disbelieve they are actually ill.

I don't get foolish martyrs personally nor do I get those who take it upon themselves to monitor everyone else in the office...

howiya

I don't get sick pay so I go in if I can

A week or two ago I was really sick though but somebody else on our small team was off on annual leave and there was nobody else to do certain bits of the work if I didn't go in. So I did go in, manager would send me home as early as possible once everything had been done.

Agree with whomever else said its a very poor way to run a business. No contingency planning whatsoever but its falling on deaf ears inside.