Opinion: Rise in sick leave a sign that all is not well

The definition of sick days has broadened, as employees become more willing to take them, writes Gary Martin. VOTE IN OUR POLL

Taking a sick day might be going viral, though the enthusiasm for taking a day off is not spreading to all bosses.

Workers once viewed their unwillingness to cut into sick leave entitlements as a badge of honour.

This badge of honour holds much less allure for the modern-day worker, with some bosses reporting the number of sick days taken annually by employees is on a steep rise.

The minimum sick – or personal – leave entitlement of 10 days per annum accrues year on year, and is not paid out or compensated for when an employee resigns.

The increase in its use might be attributed to the fact that the pandemic has left many with a new-found appreciation of the need to stay away from the workplace when unwell and knowingly contagious.

It might also be because if we don’t stay away of our own volition, others might “sick shame” us into staying home.

Yet it is not just physical illness that is causing a rise in the number of sick days.

We increasingly hear of employees opting for a “mental health day” to rejuvenate when the stress of work has impacted their wellbeing.

And it is becoming obvious that some of us treat our sick days as an added bonus to holiday leave entitlements.

While some bosses have embraced a more inclusive definition of the sick day to accommodate the ups and downs of our working and personal lives, others are less enamoured with what they describe as a growing contingent of workers who are more sick of work than sick themselves.

Both points of view miss the fact any rise in sick days is a barometer for something not being quite right in our workplaces – or in society more generally.

Achieving a clearer picture of what is driving the trend will require those in charge of our workplaces to delve deeper into the underlying reasons that might explain why more of their employees are choosing to stay home.

Armed with that understanding we will be able to better support individuals and curb increasing rates of sick leave – and in doing so achieve better results for employees, our organisations and the wider community.

Professor Gary Martin is a workplace and social affairs expert

Originally published as Opinion: Rise in sick leave a sign that all is not well