Sick day? What’s that?! Nearly 90 percent of office workers surveyed by Staples this year admitted to showing up on the job even when they knew they were contagious. That’s up from last year’s findings that 80 percent of employees went to work when they were under the weather.
Their reasoning? They don’t want to fall behind. Nearly half — 45 percent — said an ever-growing workload convinced them commuting in was the right decision, according to the survey. It’s not that they don’t know it’s not the healthy decision. Compared to last year, more employees said they understand how long the flu is contagious for, where germs congregate in the office and how long the virus can live on those shared surfaces. Still, sick coworkers are coughing and sneezing — and infecting others — in cubicles all over the country.
In addition to spreading germs, sick workers also aren’t doing the bottom line any favors. If you’re not feeling so hot, you’ll probably be less productive than a typical day at the office anyway, a phenomenon known as presenteeism that ends up costing employers more than if you just took the day off, WebMD reported.
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