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Considering taking a sick day from work? Here's a handy way to tell when calling in sick is the best way to go.
I once worked with a woman who came to work with pinkeye in both eyes. She then proceeded to rub her eyes and then touch everything on my desk, including my keyboard and mouse. She should have stayed home.
Please take a sick day if…
- You’re contagious. The last thing you want is to get all of your co-workers sick. Please be considerate and stay home if you’re at risk of spreading your illness. Even if you think you got it from a co-worker, the best way to contain the outbreak is if the sick parties stay away from the workplace.
- You’re disruptive. If other’s can’t make sales calls because you’re coughing up a lung, or meetings must be held up while you dash to the bathroom to hurl, please stay home.
- You can’t do your work. If others must cover for you due to injury or debilitation, perhaps it’s best if you simply stay home. It isn’t fair to co-workers to shoulder an extra load while you’re all receiving the same paycheck. There’s something to be said for teamwork, certainly, but sometimes it reaches a point of taking advantage. I once worked with a girl who “couldn’t answer the phone” while she was sick. Her sole job function was to answer the phone. Though it would have been necessary to cover for her anyway had she stayed home, it caused undue irritation to see her flipping through a magazine and getting paid while I did her job and mine.
- Rest will make you heal faster. If a day of sleep will knock the cold right out of you, why drag it out over five days of doing a half-assed job at work?
There’s nothing I hate more than the office martyr who drags herself into work to make a big demonstration of how she is near death. Like the woman in the above scenario, these martyrs sometimes feel it is indicative of their loyalty to the company, and importance of their job function. Chances are, however, the world will not grind to a halt simply because you sit at home watching Saved by the Bell reruns in your pjs for the next 24 hours.
Don’t feel guilty. That’s why they have sick days. Try it once in awhile.
The copyright of the article When to Call In Sick in Workplace Culture is owned by Melissa Dylan. Permission to republish When to Call In Sick in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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