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Coming to Work Sick: Dedication or Desperation?
LifeCare®, Inc. Poll Reveals True Motives of
Employees Who Work Sick
WESTPORT, Conn., August 31, 2004 – It’s not uncommon for employees
to show up at work sick—but is it becoming a trend? Nearly 90 percent of
those responding to a LifeCare poll admit to working sick. What’s driving these
employees into the office with colds, cough drops, and crutches? Not necessarily
true dedication. Here’s what they said:
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27 percent show up out of
obligation—they're stressed about their workload;
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24 percent feel it's too
'risky' to be absent;
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17 percent bankroll their
sick time for child care emergencies; and
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18 percent weighed in with
a variety of other motives. |
LifeCare, the exclusive provider of Life Event Management®
Services, conducted the month-long poll online, among the employees of its 1,000-plus
clients nationwide.
“It’s really in no one’s best interest if an employee comes
to work sick or avoids taking vacation time,” says Peter G. Burki, LifeCare
CEO and co-founder. “After all, ill and exhausted employees simply aren’t going
to be productive. And, employees with contagious conditions, such as the flu,
put co-workers at risk for illness. Burki also points to the fact that employees
who forego taking vacation time risk burnout and developing feelings of resentment—both
of which can lead to productivity loss and employee turnover.
“It’s admirable to be a dedicated employee but if this many
people are foregoing staying home when they have legitimate cause, employers
should consider openly addressing this issue and creating a culture that is
more openly supportive,” says Burki.
To help employees ease the anxiety that they feel over being
absent from work, Burki suggests that senior management “walk the talk” by showing
employees through personal example that it’s okay to use sick days and vacation
time.
He also suggests vigorously communicating the organization’s
work/life program. Employees have to be continually reminded of these valuable
benefits and how to take advantage of them. According to Burki, an ounce of
prevention equals a pound of cure—and he considers that cure
to be work/life programs.
Notes to Editors
Peter Burki is available for interview.
LifeCare®, Inc. is one of the largest privately
owned employee benefits organizations in the U.S. and the exclusive provider
of Life Event Management® Services. With 20 years of experience
in delivering highly personalized counseling, education and referral services,
LifeCare helps employees manage the day-to-day challenges of their lives. In
turn, LifeCare helps employers improve employee commitment, recruitment, retention
and workplace productivity. LifeCare currently serves 1,000 client companies
with more than four million individuals within health plans, governmental agencies,
unions and corporations. For more information, visit www.lifecare.com.
Media contact: Jim Derivan
LifeCare, Inc.
pr1@lifecare.com
203-291-4196
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