More than two out of three employees (68 per cent) have worked while feeling ill or unwell over the past two years according to the latest research from Canada Life.
The group risk insurer calculated this the equated to 21.7m people in the UK.
When asked about the reasons for working while feeling unwell, 25 per cent said their workload is or has been too heavy, while 23 per cent reported that they felt too many people relied on them to warrant taking time off.
There has also been increased concerns about the financial consequences of taking time off due to ill health, with 18 per cent citing this as a reason, and 10 per cent saying they did not take time off because they were worried about not getting paid.
Other reasons given for working when unwell were:
- Do not want to give their colleagues more work to do – 22 per cent
- Can work from home, so they still feel they need to, or can, work when unwell – 17 per cent
- Are made to feel guilty by other colleagues / senior members of staff for taking time off work – 13 per cent
- Do not feel secure enough in their job to take time off work – 9 per cent
For those workers who did call in sick, nearly one in 10 (8 per cent) have had their illness or inability to work questioned by their manager.
Canada Life interim MD group protection Dan Crook says: “Presenteeism is alive and well, as shown by the significant number of workers not taking the time off to allow themselves to recover when ill.
“There is no doubt that this is in part being driven by an uncertain economic climate, and employers must recognise that their employees may have greater anxieties around losing their job. Fostering a workplace culture where employees feel at ease to take sick leave and step away from their day to day priorities to focus on their wellbeing, is key.”
He says group risk policies can help foster this workplace culture. : “Employees must also understand the importance of taking time off, and employers have a role to play in facilitating this.”
