A Survey — Workers & Sick Leave

The workforce management company,Team Software took a long look at sick leave in the U.S. The survey found in most countries being sick a day or so isn’t that big of a deal. That’s somewhere else. The United States is a different story and the firm contends in this country being sick a day can be costly.

An unidentified Team Software spokesperson defined “costly” as in costing a person their job. Or their health. Or both.

• 67% of those surveyed said they worked last year while they were sick
• That number — the company found — had to chose between income or well-being

"This staggering statistic has real implications for both employee well-being and organizational risk,” the spokesperson said. “In industries where safety and reliability are paramount, this presents a serious exposure — sick or fatigued workers increase the likelihood of costly incidents and claims. Addressing the affordability of sick leave isn’t just a workforce issue, it’s a risk mitigation strategy."

Here’s more from the survey:

• 42% of workers in the U.S. faked being physically ill to get time off
• That time off was needed to avoid burnout and overworking
• 15% of Gen Z workers claim they were fired for taking sick days
• 20% say they’ve developed insomnia because of overworking
• 25% say being overworked has driven them to anxiety and panic attacks

“Money pressure, lack of protections and career anxiety form a three-way vise that often forces employees to push through illness,” the report said. “All of these pressures add up. In the past year, 57% of Americans took two or fewer sick days, regardless of how often they may have needed rest.”

So, have sick days cost workers their jobs?

• 67% of the workers polled say no
• However, 26% worry they could lose their jobs
• 4% of workers said they weren’t fired but had pressure to quit or be sidelined
• 3% were officially terminated.

Source link: PropertyCasualty360.com — http://bit.ly/40QxMgt