Those who work from home - how often do you take a sick day?
Posted by Super_Development150@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 179 comments
I have worked from home for six years and have taken about two sick days. Both days I was so ill I could barely get out of bed.
If I had to go into an office then I imagine the number would be higher. I can never justify it when I know I can just sit on the sofa with my laptop.
Is this the same for most others?
mousepallace@reddit
You can cope with illness a lot easier WFH. You don’t have to commute, get dressed up, sort out lunch etc. you can just scrape yourself out of bed and be adequately useful. So fewer sick days.
Darkone539@reddit
This. If I can't drive I'd call in sick. Working from home makes something like a cold fine.
Jimmy90081@reddit
You also get less illness as you get to avoid the office germs.
KingDaveRa@reddit
I still have to do the school run. By the time I've got through that I've had enough and ready to do nothing. I had a stinking cold last time, staggered home and settled myself to watch Homes Under the Hammer. That was about the limit of my abilities.
I think I return to work quicker than I would otherwise, but otherwise I'm having a day or two, because otherwise my head is full of mush.
Hame_Impala@reddit
A benefit of WFH a lot of employers forget about.
Haven't ever had to take a sick day since Covid. Not something I wouldn't do if I was properly ill, but there have been times where getting into an office would be a bit much but I've been able to log on at home and still work. Not like I wouldn't inevitably end up browsing the web if I was off anyway.
Similarly, can be good from a mental health POV if you can't face other people in the office but can still get on with working.
fergie_89@reddit
Agreed. I'm remote and I have taken 0 sick days in 2 years. The last time I was sick, I messaged my manager because my throat was not my friend, said I'm sick I'll log on later if I can.
I still joined our teams call, my monthly meetup and did some work and despite logging on late and leaving early my manager marked me as attending.
I am a senior so I feel the pressure to be at work constantly because of workload demands and being remote makes me feel bad for taking sick days.
To be frank, I can't recall the last time I took a full sick day.
notouttolunch@reddit
And it's nice to do something useful. It's not like you're going to get on with cleaning or anything like that. Even if it's only an hour of what would otherwise be productive work, it's the emotional response you get in your brain for doing so.
No_Chemist2922@reddit
Honestly WFH almost feels like a sick leave day to me.
Maybe I think that it's not that worth it to take sick leave on a WFH day.
Apple_Master@reddit
No, if I'm too ill to work or need to take a sick day, I'm doing it.
Lopsided-Fan-6777@reddit
The amount of folks whose aren't sick is wild ... I get sick a couple times a year and take a day or two each time. Then I need a couple of mental health days too. Probably somewhere between 5 and 15 a year. Most likely on the low end of that
Ambitious-Calendar-9@reddit
I don't take sick days while WFH unless I am genuinely unable to function - ie throwing up and not able to take calls. Aside from that, I don't feel comfortable taking sick days when I can literally just work from my laptop in bed, but that's just me personally.
shine_on@reddit
I have to be very groggy and/or running to the bathroom frequently before I take a wfh sick day. If I'd just got a cold or sniffles I'll work. However a colleague said that if they're too ill to go into the office they're also too ill to work from home, so they take a sick day anyway.
I think I take about one or two sick days a year, if that.
bogyoofficial@reddit
I've worked from home for six years. If I'm too sick to go to the office, I'm too sick to work from home.
In my experience, pushing through it just leads to me getting sicker.
Beny1995@reddit
I rarely get seriously sick, fortunately its only ever a pathetic man flu.
When I was wfh, I would just power through. Might as well be working rather than watching daytime tv.
But now they've forced us all back into the office, I absolutely take sick days.
BasisOk4268@reddit
Probably like 5 a year
hughesyg@reddit
Much fewer but to be honest I’m not sure there would be any difference. I barely do more than an hour or two of work a day as it is 🤷🏽♀️
If anything chucking in a sick day once or twice a year looks better like I have stuff to do
DisneyBounder@reddit
Not very often but if I'm sick enough that I'm not really thinking straight, I'll take a sick day.
Skanedog@reddit
Almost never, if I'm feeling like I have a cold air other minor ailment I work from.home but just take it slower.
I take real sick days if I'm properly ill, but genuinely haven't done that in a couple of years.
atomicsiren@reddit
Very rarely. I had an “easy day” a couple of weeks ago when I was feeling really under the weather.
Last full sick day was about two years ago when I was up all night in A&E.
OxfordBlue2@reddit
Almost never because I’m self employed and don’t get paid if I don’t work. I took 3 days off after prostate surgery and that’s been about it in the last 10 odd years.
death-in-tipton@reddit
I’ve been of sick since November with depression, getting better now but my employer has been next to useless so I doubt I’ll return.
EmFan1999@reddit
I haven’t taken a sick day in about 15 years. Wonder why that is? Nothing to do with the fact I have flexible hours and mostly work from home, I’m sure
SimoneLewis@reddit
I used it think it was flex not calling in sick but now I’m thinking differently.
If I’m entitled to 5 a year, this year I’m taking them if I’m not ‘feeling 100% or wake up and cannot be bothered’
EmFan1999@reddit
Well generally people aren’t entitled to any? If I am off sick I’m paid, but there is no set quota of days I can be sick a year, until you get to like 6 months of full pay or something - but it’s not like I can be off sick for 6 months a year
Since I have the ability to take an easy day, an afternoon nap, have a lie in, rathe than push through illnesses, I’m just not ill that much and when I am I’m usually better within a day or two
ItsDominare@reddit
Couple of days a year, probably.
My job involves quite a bit of attention to detail with pretty serious potential financial consequences for the company if I fuck something up. Therefore, if I am feeling too ill to concentrate properly there's not much point me logging in that day.
tulki123@reddit
I think I took two days off a couple years ago but I was on deaths door. I’ve taken a couple of late starts here and there but those are days that if I was office based I would have called off entirely so the company wins, I also find it nice to be able to get some odd jobs done that don’t need much brainwork when I feel bad
Alone-Firefighter283@reddit
I have worked at the same company for 5 years and need taken a sick day. I agree you can manage it better when you are working from home most days. One day I did have a customer meeting and still went to it despite feeling horrific which probably wasn’t wise to spread my germs around. I think it depends on peoples circumstances as some people will have genuine illness that they need to take time off for
Dramatic-Doctor-7386@reddit
In the last year, I was off for a day when I felt especially shitty due to a COVID infection, and I also took two days off for a painful medical procedure. Probably should've taken a third because I felt rough after my first day back. If I was in office, I'd probably have had to take a week off each time.
Orwell1984_2295@reddit
I haven't in over six years. Finished early once (had still worked my hours) as couldn't ignore a migraine any longer.
KrisKat93@reddit
I'm hybrid and I call in not-sick-but-working-from-home more often than I call in fully sick.
If I have a cold or something I don't want to spread around the office I'll say I'm working from home on my usual office days. I only call in sick if I dont think I'll be able to do work or concentrate.
Ok-Grape-3628@reddit
Not had a sick day in 9 years. I think I have gone to lay down for an hour when I’ve had a headache but always made up the time. 100% would have taken sick days if I was in the office.
Squeak_Stormborn@reddit
The last year I worked in an office, I had over a month off sick in total. Went hybrid for 2 years and averaged about 2 weeks. Now WFH for the past 3 years and think I've taken about 4 days in total, across all 3 years.
I have 4 autoimmune disorders. Working from home means I can be comfortable, eat more healthily, have the temperature how I want it, and stop for half an hour to nurse pains and return to work. I'm a much more reliable employee for it.
BoopingBurrito@reddit
In 6 years of working from home I think I've taken sick leave maybe 3 times? Only when I'm really feeling bad. Mild illnesses I can muddle through with generally, even if they're bad enough I wouldn't do the commute with them.
In the 6 years prior to 2020, I'd reckon I was probably closer to 3 sessions of sick leave a year - prone to chest infections if I get a cold and it doesn't fix itself quickly enough, and my mental health can be rocky at times.
NuisancePenguin44@reddit
We're not allowed more than 2 instances of sickness in a rolling 6 month period so I try not to take sick days if possible
Alasdair91@reddit
Never. Because I can just slow down and work at a more relaxed pace.
JamJarre@reddit
I take a handful a year when needed. More for mental health than physical because with most physical injuries you can still log on, as you mentioned.
I also get less physically sick, probably because I'm not dealing with big crowds of commuters every day
CNRADMSN@reddit
Out of interest, when you take the days for mental health, do you just plainly say it's for mental health, or do you bend the truth a bit?
Only asking because I think a lot of companies pay lip service to mental health, but it's still not taken seriously.
National-Raspberry32@reddit
Mental health is still an illness. If you say you’re not feeling well that’s not lying. Maybe depends on the workplace but I’ve never been asked for details for a day or two off sick.
CNRADMSN@reddit
Yeah I get it, I just know from experience that employers don't take it seriously enough despite paying lip service to it
JamJarre@reddit
I'm quite lucky in that my workplace does take it seriously, plus I'm on the mental health first aid team. So when I take a day like this there's less pushback and more of an assumption that I know what I'm talking about. They're also decent with reasonable adjustments.
Though like every workplace, I suspect if I took a lot then there would be consequences. But the odd duvet day is not so bad.
CNRADMSN@reddit
Good on you
unknowntoff@reddit
I'm on a sick day today. But I've only had four in the last year
tom101tom@reddit
I've had one sick day in 20 years. That day I had Norovirus. There was no possiblity work could happen.
sammiepix@reddit
Literally never in the year and a half I've had this WFH job, aside from dropping out for an hour to go to a doctor/ dentist appointment for said sickness.
I have fibromyalgia and was off so many times in a month when I worked somewhere I had to commute to, so I'm pretty proud of myself. Don't think I will have a day off unless I'm hospitalised!
sunheadeddeity@reddit
I rarely take a sick day any more. I might go offline for a couple of hours if I get a headache and need to lie down.
Slight_Rise_2245@reddit
I work fully remote and I’ve had to take about a month in total off in the past year. I only work three days a week, but I was in hospital and off work for about three weeks last year, and then another week in December with the same thing.
Before that, I just worked through sickness and hadn’t had any days off in almost 2 years despite having a chronic illness.
Giraffesrockyeah@reddit
Twice in 10 years. I used to have a lengthy commute and a lot of the sick days were due to not being able to face the commute with a bad cold etc.
ReactionCreepy428@reddit
Rarely ever because I'm not often very unwell. I mostly used to take sick days to not spread an illness around the office. I will happily take a day off if I'm not up to it though.
FHFBEATS@reddit
I had an argument last week with an area manager who tried to claim in front of a group that statistically people get more sick being at home than in the office.
I’ve never googled ONS so fast in my life. Abilities horseshit.
Lunaspoona@reddit
I've had way more chest infections in my 3 years in an office than I ever did in any other role. There's no data other my personal testimony, I but I doubt I'm alone. I'm asthmatic so being at home in my own environment without all the triggers and having fresh air opposed to air con makes a big difference to me.
CNRADMSN@reddit
I go into the office once a month and I always come back sick. It's complete BS and they try to gaslight you like it's because your immune system is weakened working from home or something. I can assure you, I sit alongside 70k people every other weekend at the football, my immune system isn't any weaker than it would be if I worked in the office 🤣
FHFBEATS@reddit
The stupidest things about these claims is there’s no base for them at all. 0 evidence to suggest they’re correct, yet they will look you dead in the eye and preach it’s a fact. It’s insanity.
CNRADMSN@reddit
Thats management in a nut shell, utter confidence in saying absolute jibberish.
Lucky_Platypus4068@reddit
If I feel bad I will take the day, as I found I will be more likely to make mistakes and extra work for myself when my head is not in the right place. Mistakes can be expensive. So think of it as saving money for the company
Unique-Scientist8114@reddit
On a similar note, I WFH but do call centre work, so we are judged, harshly, by KPIs - I would sooner have a sick day than negatively effect my KPIs because of the amount of shit we get for them. Additionally, if an illness effects my ears or voice (both of which have been an issue within the past year) I physically cannot work, regardless of the fact I WFH.
AdministrativeShip2@reddit
I tracked my sick days, and while I take less since WFH increased, I make sure that if Im Ill I dont work.
Drunkgummybear1@reddit
Been there lol. Tried to push through when I was ill one time and just ended up creating more work for myself. Thankfully had the foresight to not send anything out though so not too disastrous
One_Pangolin1766@reddit
Had to take 3 in a row last year as i had a terrible flu that wiped me out, i spent most of each day asleep, and barely ate either so wouldnt really recommend it
Was the first time I’d ever take sick leave while wfh and thankfully the company were very understanding, but any minor sniffles or heavy period cramping that would have kept me home from in-person, I just knock back some medicine and get on with it
eilb3@reddit
I started getting migraines about 5 years ago. Along the same time I began working from home. I’ve had 6 or 7 sick days in that time and they’ve basically all been migraine related. Mainly when I’m out of medication and the nausea and pain is extreme.
Unable-Discount-9266@reddit
I take a sick day if I know I'm unable to work and need the rest. I've worked for my company for years and only had 2 sick days where I was genuine so ill and one extended leave for mental health because my life got shit so I took over a month off.
Sophyska@reddit
When I need it. If I would have been too sick to go into the office I’d probably take that as sick at home
TomatoChomper7@reddit
It’s much easier to work from home while a bit sick, yeah. My pre-Covid employer also had a horrible policy of no pay for the first three days of a sickness period, so whenever I was too sick to work, even if it was only for a day, I would always take at least a week or two off out of spite.
Farscape_rocked@reddit
that sounds illegal
TomatoChomper7@reddit
It is illegal now, but only since Monday.
QuietBloke90@reddit
Six years remote, about three sick days. The sofa and laptop combo is lethal when you’re rough enough to justify it but well enough to feel guilty. End up doing a half arsed day and calling it dedication.
Xiija@reddit
A handful a year. I have endometriosis so when I have a flare up I can barely move and wouldn't be able to think at work.
Broad-Raspberry1805@reddit
I’ve had one day off with norovirus this year and two days off last year, can’t remember what for. That’s it since March 2020. I even worked through having quite bad Covid twice.
Some of my colleagues are off all the time, god knows why. To me wfh is a privilege that may not exist forever so I don’t take the piss.
everybodyctfd@reddit
Between 10-20 sick days since 2021
InitialCreative9184@reddit
I took half a day a few months ago, that was the first time in around 8 years.
cici-is-not-ok@reddit
I get unlimited paid sick days and personal days.
I take a day off at least once a month, or lengthen stat holiday weekends. Mostly for mental health days or appointments.
I also work from home and have days where I'm on the clock but my output is next to zero.
I acknowledge that I'm really privileged to be in this position, but they also don't pay me enough for me to care more.
Delicious-Pop-7019@reddit
I’ve been working from home since about 2014. I don’t remember taking any sick days in the last 10 years. I’m only sitting at my PC anyway and can just take a laptop to bed if needed.
I would guess my sick days would be at least a couple of weeks during that time if i wasn’t WFH.
Gullflyinghigh@reddit
I've had fewer sick days as WFH has ramped up. There's a world of difference between getting on with it at home and having to go through the rigmarole of getting suitably office-presentable and commuting in/out.
This isn't a martyr type thing either, if I'm feeling throughly shit then I'm not working regardless of place but there are fringe cases where I can get through a day being a bit shitty whilst sat on a sofa in comfies.
missuseme@reddit
I generally work from the office, if I'm sick I'll work from home. I've not had an official sick day in over ten years.
Lyrakish@reddit
I was told off by my manager recently that "if I'm too sick to go into an office I'm too sick to WFH, and should rest". The temptation to just power through doesn't help anyone. So I used to just work all the way through, now if I'm really ill I will log off and take the time to rest.
interestingcheeses@reddit
I have taken 3 sicks days in the 2 years I've been at my job. Two of them were for a sickness bug that completely annihilated me. The other for a migraine which made looking at my screen impossible. Otherwise I have powered through.
hunsnet457@reddit
I pretty much take a day off whenever i’m even just under the weather.
It’s a pretty mentally demanding job so unfortunately even a having a flu can really fuck you over and have some pretty nasty consequences.
But thankfully in my experience it’s part of industry culture
terryjuicelawson@reddit
I think once or twice. Issue with going to work is you wake up, feel like shit, and have to make that call - you phone before you make the commute and it is committed. But who knows, you could feel alright a bit later. At home I can still log in and sit there (I'd use the computer to report sick anyway), if I have been really rough then I can still tidy up a few things and set an out of office then crawl into bed again. One time I was alright to carry on just the afternoon. If you have horrific shits you may be fine to work, but just not leave the house. One of the many joys of it I guess.
marcella98_@reddit
I'm fully remote, I take sick days maybe once or twice a year, normally only when I have a migraine or nausea that gets worse from looking at screens.
Altruistic_Safe_8776@reddit
I work 3 days at home, 2 in the office but if I have a cold or other such illness which doesn't prevent me from working I'd be allowed to just work from home for the week. As a result I didn't have any sick days last year.
Sugarlips_80@reddit
Very few. My last one was for a pre planned operation, before that was 3 days due to a sickness bug. I have a permanent disability which can make travel difficult during flair ups. Working from home enables me to remain in work, feel useful and productive and manage my condition. If I had to travel to the office I would be off work for weeks at a time, solely due to not being able to travel in due to mobility issues.
Apsalar28@reddit
Much less often than in the office. I've taken 3 in the past couple of years. A couple when I was not going to be leaving the bathroom for longer than 1/2 an hour after a dubious buffet and one when I'd had 0 sleep thanks to a cough/cold type thing.
If I'd been in the office it'd have been at least 3 months when I did my back in. I could make it down the stairs to my office chair and be ok with ibuprofen as long as I didn't move wrong. There was no way I was going to be managing the 3/4 mile walk to the bus stop, hour on the train and 1/2 mile walk at the other end until at least a couple of months into physio.
Artificial100@reddit
I had two sick days in 10 years whilst in the office and I’ve not taken any since working at home for the last 5 years. Feels even harder to justify when all I have to really do is roll out of bed.
dr2501@reddit
Never
TheDawiWhisperer@reddit
Not as often as I really should, I tend to just work through it
That said I'm not above calling in sick because I want to go fishing or go to the coast
notouttolunch@reddit
I'd rather go to work than go fishing.
TheDawiWhisperer@reddit
What a weirdly twatty comment
notouttolunch@reddit
At least I can communicate without swearing. On this occasion, however, it seems like you are the one who doesn't understand anything.
TheDawiWhisperer@reddit
What a weirdly twatty comment
notouttolunch@reddit
And yours are no better. Do you have any social skills?
AskUK-ModTeam@reddit
Don't be a dick to each other, or other subreddits, places, or people.
Don't be a dick to each other, or other subreddits, places, or people. AskUK contains a variety of ages, experiences, and backgrounds - consider not everyone is operating on the same level or background as you. Listen to others before you respond, and be courteous when doing so.
TheDawiWhisperer@reddit
What a weirdly twatty comment
notouttolunch@reddit
You really don't. Perhaps this is why you enjoy fishing. Stops you from annoying people
AskUK-ModTeam@reddit
Don't be a dick to each other, or other subreddits, places, or people.
Don't be a dick to each other, or other subreddits, places, or people. AskUK contains a variety of ages, experiences, and backgrounds - consider not everyone is operating on the same level or background as you. Listen to others before you respond, and be courteous when doing so.
TheDawiWhisperer@reddit
What a weirdly twatty comment
You haven't posted one comment that isn't cunty and yet in your head I'm the one with social issues lol
Good one, bro
notouttolunch@reddit
It's a shame you can't construct a sentence without swearing.
LemonsAT@reddit
Maybe 5-10 days a year or so? And half of those I'm probably still working in a light capacity anyway.
Much less than when I was in the office personally, simply because commuting and having to be switched on all day is much more draining than doing a few easy bits from the bed/sofa if your feeling up to it.
mumwifealcoholic@reddit
In 7 years, one bout of flu knocked me out for two weeks. Probably should have stayed away another week.
When in the office I was ill every month.
Classic-Fault1466@reddit
I take a day every month due to illness which would be the same as when I would working a hybrid role. I have unlimited sick days and if it was an issue, they would let us know.
LJ161@reddit
It depends. If ots a cold then ill WFH. If its stomach related them im a write off cause I dont do well with nausea.
My work does 10 full pay sick days so ill make sure I use them before end of year.
CaptainVXR@reddit
If it's a bit of a cold or a slightly dodgy stomach, I'll power through it. Whereas in those situations if I had to be in the office I'd most likely call in sick.
Visa5e@reddit
Yup. Nowadays if im feeling a bit crappy i'll just flake out on the sofa and keep an eye on emails.
Gisschace@reddit
I never do, but then I work for myself too so no sick pay and I like to keep things moving.
But as others say it’s a lot easier from home, I might decide to work on the sofa under a blanket with the TV on, and choose work which is ‘easier’.
Spike_Milligoon@reddit
This is me too. I just manage my hours and work around how I am feeling if I am ill. Same goes for lovely sunny days like today too. 3pm clocking off for some sun, a beer and get the bbq going.
If I’m going on holiday I usually have double the hours working before or after - it is worth it though
Gisschace@reddit
Same! I woke up at 5.30 today so started work at 6am as I have a few deadlines but also want to enjoy the sun.
Other half is a teacher so we’re going out for a late lunch.
Gadget100@reddit
Thanks to the kids, quite a few. :-(
exxcathedra@reddit
I work hybrid. I have never taken a sick day. Sick day is WFH day.
Informal-Intern-8672@reddit
Very rarely, about once every couple of years and only when I'm so ill I can't function. Sometimes I've been ill and just sat in bed working. I really enjoy my job though and find pushing through even when I'm ill helps me pull myself together and feel better.
alice_op@reddit
Same here - 3 years working from home atm, only 2 days off sick taken and they were when I couldn't move off the toilet from severe D&V
melikebiscuit@reddit
I work from the office usually, but do have an option to wfh when needed.
I have a few days a year that I wouldn't want to be in work, but can get work done at home. I work in a shared office, so when I'm particularly full of cold or have a slightly upset stomach (not welded to the loo but needing to go a few times) I request to work from home so that I don't write of the whole team. I'm not ill enough to be off sick, but I don't want to make my colleagues unwell. Thankfully the boss is sound and happy for me to do this, otherwise I'd have to take more sick leave! (I have disease carrying offspring who like to share their germs on a frequent basis).
I actually get more done at home because I'm not being interrupted every 5 minutes by people coming by for a natter (we're right next to the kitchen).
beetrootfarmer@reddit
I don't get sick as often now I'm not commuting and sharing the office with people who are passing on their illnesses. If I'm sick whilst working from home I can usually manage to do a couple of small things but if I was so sick I couldn't work I'd still use a sick day to rest. Hasn't caused me any problems so far.
ImpossibleLoss1148@reddit
This is also a good point, less illness vectors WFH.
Dec-Mc@reddit
I feel that if you're not well enough to commute, you're not well enough to work. At least, not at full capacity. Then not taking the days you need to heal often results in slower healing, meaning less productivity.
So if I was still in office and didnt feel capable of commuting, I take the day (or days) to rest, and you should too.
The thing about burnout, that I've learned the hard way, is about it cause. We tend to treat rest as benefit, not as a right
Immediate-Escalator@reddit
I think I’ve taken two days in the last year, but that’s not really any more or less than I would have when I was working in an office full time. Hybrid has given me more flexibility to work around a back injury though - by writing reports in bed or moving around more
PCBuilderCat@reddit
I think it’s important that you remember the W in WFH. You get the same sick day allowance whether you work in an office or you work from your home so don’t feel bad or unjustified in using it just because you’re at home. I’m not saying take one every time you’ve got a sore head but I look at it as if I wouldn’t go into the office in my current state then I don’t work. The from home part is largely irrelevant, I’m not pushing myself for any company just because my work balance is ‘easier’ due to being at home
Merboo@reddit
I have taken zero sick days since working remotely.
Definitely way more than that when I was in the office.
ImpossibleLoss1148@reddit
A lot more rarely than if I was in the office. I'll tend to snuggle through a remote meeting much more willingly than I'd do it if I had the commute. If I get a head cold I may take one day, the toughest day, but then I'll struggle through. My productivity is generally a lot higher WFH, as I have less distractions.
Barkasia@reddit
I've had one sick day since mid-2024, and that was because I had to spend half of it within a few metres of my toilet.
ReallyIntriguing@reddit
That's not healthy
Barkasia@reddit
I know it's not, that's why I took a sick day.
djwillis1121@reddit
Isn't it the opposite of unhealthy if you're rarely ill?
theartofnocode@reddit
Since COVID, zero.
Trequartista7777@reddit
Ever since I started working from home when COVID started, I find I rarely get colds. I've basically been off sick once and that was because I had a hernia but outside of that I just don't get ill much .
When I was having to go to the office everyday, I'd get quite bad colds/flu symptoms every so often but homeworking has put a stop to that
Amonette2012@reddit
October i has to take a few days off because I was too sick to get but of bed. Fortunately my boss is a darling.
Acidphire21@reddit
last time i took sick it was 3 days back in 2023 when i had covid i felt so ill and my default when ill is to sleep through it, other than that i dont think ive taken a sick day since and im 100% WFH
carlou1719@reddit
I'm hybrid so not sure if i count. But i've taken a handful of days off per year since i've been in this job. 2.5 last year for flu, 4 the year before with covid.
I take days off when i need them. I'm not a martyr, the world wont stop turning without me, and i'll do a better job overall if i let myself recover than try to force myself through it.
annedroiid@reddit
Whenever I'm sick enough to need one. It's not a competition.
sihasihasi@reddit
I'm about the same as you. Even when I had COVID early-on, I just dosed up on painkillers for the fever and kept on going. If I feel genuinely awful, I'll take it off, but luckily that doesn't happen often.
Revolutionary_West56@reddit
I’m really strict with myself on this. I think because I had a bad chronic health issue, I now know how important it is for the body to rest
We get paid sick leave. Take it
BaBaFiCo@reddit
Before I worked from home I probably took a sick day every 3 years or so. I've worked from home since COVID and I think I've taken two sick days in that time.
Tigerbaton@reddit
No, I take significantly fewer days off sick now that I work from home. For starters, I rarely get very ill, just icky for a few days. If I was in the office, I wouldn’t feel well enough to sit in an office all day but also wouldn’t want to spread it round so would take the day off sick. If I’m at home, I can just work as usual, but just take it a bit easier, have hot drinks and tissues at the ready, sit in comfy clothes, and generally take it easy. But secondly, I also used to take a couple of days off every now and again when I was feeling overwhelmed or stressed, and I don’t do that at all now.
AirlineSevere7456@reddit
Only if it's something that takes you out action, like proper flu, but never for a cold.
Fair-Wedding-8489@reddit
I take less days then if I was in the office for sure because work at home through more illness/ sickness than I could if I have to travel in. However I have a kidney condition so I still have time off on average two times a year.
knightsbridge-@reddit
I think I've taken 4 sickness days since 1st September (which is the semi-arbitrary reset date at my firm). Two sickness periods, 2 days each.
Because my company tracks sickness periods instead of sickness days, it's kind of a perverse incentive to take more days once you're already off sick. Both of the above were for cold/flu type viruses, but I definitely could have come back to work after one day off. But since there's no penalty for taking the extra day, they're basically one sick day and one "semi-sick lie-on-sofa-sniffling" day.
officearsehole@reddit
Same system here, I usually take an extra day off because why not! I also worked for the company as a contractor for a couple of years before being made a full employee so I took a week off ‘sick’ to make up for the unpaid sick leave I felt I’d missed out on.
Sparko_Marco@reddit
I've rarely taken a sick day in 25 years working in an office or at home, WFH makes no difference. Its not very often I'm actually ill and I've probably taken at most 10 sick days and most of those I've just needed the time off rather than being too ill to work.
halfempty357@reddit
Through luck of the draw I am rarely ill. I WFH and the last time I was ill with a virus I had a few days off
luckless666@reddit
Kids or no kids? Before kids, I was never sick and thought my immune system was rock solid. Turns out I just didn’t have a little Trojan horse for disease in my household…
pointsofellie@reddit
I was one of those people who would have one sick day a year if that before my son was born. Now I definitely use my 3 occurrences per 12 months!
BestGirlNat@reddit
I'm currently full time in office but starting a new job fully WfH in a few weeks. Currently I get sick very often. I have a weak immune system so thats probably why. I've taken 30 sick days in 14months. Not good. Hoping WfH will reduce that a lot
No_Preference9093@reddit
I’ve taken about three or four in the last 6 years.
infieldcookie@reddit
I seem to be a bit of an outlier here in that I usually take between 5-10 sick days a year. If I’ve been unwell enough to have a poor night’s sleep then I’m going to struggle with meetings, more complex work etc. I also take mental health days. I’m not really being paid enough to work through sickness tbh.
Weird-End5410@reddit
I've worked from home for three years. I took my first sick day a couple of weeks ago. I hurt my back and couldn't actually sit in my chair so didn't really have a choice.
I usually work through it but if I'm ill I'll try and do things that don't need me to think too hard.
ScarletScotYew@reddit
I work from home in a completely remote role, and our HR/management usually ask us that if you have to travel into an office, would you be able to, or feel safe doing so? If no, then we are expected to take a sick day.
TheNotSpecialOne@reddit
Similiar. Only 1 day sick here since COVID and working from home.
DVLMN08@reddit
Certainly a lot less, only really family bereavement and a broken rib over the last couple years
Wishmaster891@reddit
one in about 4 years, i had to go to A and E for kidney stone pain which started around 9:30 one day last summer
SpudFire@reddit
If I'm taking my laptop downstairs to the sofa then I think that's going too far and should be resting.
As long as I can sit at my desk and still work at 90% of normal then I'll work. If I'm sat there unable to concentrate or the screen is giving me a headache then it's a sick day.
ThisIsMyRedditAcct20@reddit
Last company I worked for was basically fully remote and offered 10 paid sick days a year.
On my team, one person maxed their 10 every year, and often times would still effectively taking half days on top of that that her manager essentially didn’t report. Her Bradford Factor was off the charts.
One would get about 6-8 in a year.
One would basically never take them.
I took a few over each year.
Geek_reformed@reddit
I very rarely get ill. I took a couple of days off in 2021 when I had COVID, but even then it wasn't much more than a bad cold.
However, since I don't get ill very often I do take the occasional unofficial "mental health" day. I have school aged child so all my leave is spent covering school holidays so I like to take a couple of days sick leave (normally when my wife is travelling for work) to just have some time on my own.
Superspark76@reddit
I used to give all staff that don't have any sick in the previous 6 months a duvet day to be taken in the next 6 months. Basically a free paid day that can be taken last minute for no real reason. I found that staff were less likely to take sick especially towards the end of the period as they would lose their day.
This lowered my sick leave by 30%, improved morale and cost me less than 10% of the previous sick pay.
Farscape_rocked@reddit
I took a sick day yesterday. I'd had the runs for a couple of days and was either on the loo or in bed. It's the first sick day I've taken in over four years, and if in-office I'd have had to take another two to make sure I wasn't spreading it around.
Disastrous_Yak_1990@reddit
I could if I needed say to my manager that I’m not going to call in sick but I’m not going to be doing much. Saves another instance of sickness, and I’m still around if needed.
mustardpanda@reddit
Although I work mainly from home, I work in a patient-facing healthcare role (both face to face and remotely). So if I'm feeling unwell and struggling to focus, this does have implications for patient care and safety. We are always encouraged to take time off when needed.
A bit of a cough or sniffle is one thing, but if I'm so unwell that I wouldn't attend on an office day, I wouldn't attend from home either.
ConfectionHelpful471@reddit
Not had a sick day since moving to hybrid working about 3 years ago as if I am ill I will wfh rather than go to the office. However even when working from the office full time I think I have had less than a weeks worth of sick days in a 10 year period so may not be the right person to benchmark against
Numerous-Abrocoma-50@reddit
Never.
There has to be some give and take with work from home. Its a massive benefit in costs and time and I think people should work through stuff they might not if they had to go into the office.
Generally I have a pretty good immune system anyway. Although had food poslisoning from morocco for 4 weeks and worked through it. My study was next door to bathroom so was quite convenient anyway. Just had to sometimes dip out of teams call for diarrhea breaks.
localmansayshello@reddit
I get paid to do a day WFH, I get paid the same when I take a sick day. So whenever I need to. I don't believe in battling through illness at work.
localmansayshello@reddit
Also yeah the number would be naturally higher going into the office because you'd be more exposed to the various lurg
Foshiznik23@reddit
I’ve never had a lot of sick absences in my 25 years of working other than 5 months in the mid 2010s due to cancer. However, with working from home the bar for being too sick to work is a lot higher.
DapperDouble666@reddit
It's a huge perk of WFH that you can still be productive on days you'd be too sick to manage the commute and office environment.
Scarred_fish@reddit
I've always been of the opinion that if I'm too ill to do anything useful at home then I'm bloody well getting paid for it! Nothing more miserable when you're ill than also being stuck at home dwelling on it.
I probably do more during WFH days when I'm ill than normal days!
DepthHistorical371@reddit
Only when work just cant get done, like needing a bathroom every 5 mins, or severe pain.
Also, hello HR staff
catjellycat@reddit
I don’t fully wfh but I have a flexible job so if I’m mildly unwell, I can usually work round it.
However, I took 3 months off when my dad became in the last stages of his life and then died. I also took 3 weeks off for an operation and recovery.
I’m not averse to being off sick at all. I enjoy my job but I did once have a job where you were made to feel like a piece of shit for taking any time off. I had something a bit weird happen on a day off and it was only that I was off that I went to the GP. Turns out I needed emergency surgery to save my life. Hand on heart, I would have been too scared to ring in sick for ‘something a bit odd’ because they were so awful to you. I’d have died.
I left that job fairly shortly afterwards (they were also shitty to me about the time I needed off after my op) and I will never feel bad about taking time when I need it ever again.
PigletAlert@reddit
At the most 1-2 days a year when I am so unwell that I cannot hold my head up or keep my eyes open. It’s a lot less than when I had to get dressed at 6.30am travel to work for 90 minutes and sit upright/be on my feet all day. Back then I had an almost standing second stage sickness letter.
graeme_1988@reddit
I think I’ve only had 1 day off sick since early 2020
FourCats44@reddit
Over about 5 years, 4 sick days. 2 was a back injury and I couldn't sit up in bed let alone get out of it. Other two were chest infections (two separate instances).
For me the consideration is recovering. Whilst you may be physically able to work, you won't necessarily recover unless you listen to your body and actually rest.
mycatiscalledFrodo@reddit
1 since 2021, it was for 24hr flu and I slept or 18hrs
Targettio@reddit
I think I have taken one Half Day sick in the last 6 years of WFH.
I didn't take many sick days when in the office, but was definitely more.
That said, I also don't push too hard when I am not feeling my best while WFH
Head_Priority5152@reddit
My sickness record used to be pretty horrific not gunna lie. Mental health issues. Major breakdowns and long term sick. The days when I just couldn't do those steps between bed and leaving the house. The days when I got in the car and still couldn't face actually going to work. Now worked at home for 5 years. I have my environment and its calming. I don't have to put on a happy face if I don't want to. I don't even have to get dressed if I'm struggling. All of this means I can work on days I definitely wouldn't have before. I've had 2 times off sick. Both times with covid when I was very very sick. BUT I worked from home with milder covid, with a broken leg and through cancer. I wouldn't have been in the office through any of that.
ci_newman@reddit
Very very rarely. I've WFH for \~ 10 years. The only time I've ever taken a sick day is if I had such a high fever I couldn't even walk from my bed to the desk (once for covid, once for flu).
jennymayg13@reddit
I get migraines so I have to take a sick day if I can’t look at a screen so doesn’t matter if I work from home or not.
811545b2-4ff7-4041@reddit
Last time I took a sick day was 2020 when I had covid-19.. took about a week off then.
BUT.. I'm fortunately not sick that often and when I am a bit off, I'll suffer through it at home.
Timely_Note_1904@reddit
I take fewer sick days than I would if I was in the office. There's been a few times where I've had a cold that was bad enough that I'd call in sick if I had to work in the office but I was still ok enough to work remotely.
Moop_the_Loop@reddit
I've been wfh for 6 years now and I had 2 days off for covid about 5 years ago but I just work through sickness. If I was really sick I'd call in though.
djwillis1121@reddit
I've been working in this job for three years and haven't yet taken one. That's not to say I never would, I just haven't ever been particularly ill. I get pretty minor colds a few times a year and always work from home if I have one but I've never felt too ill to work at all.
Not long before starting work after graduating I caught Covid and that completely knocked me out for about a week. If that had happened after starting work I would have absolutely taken a week off sick.
kestrelita@reddit
My sickness record is currently terrible after a month off due to a hospitalisation, but normally it has to be something like flu or norovirus for me to take a sick day. My job means I can cuddle up in a blanket, take whatever medication I need and focus on getting the urgent stuff done.
MightyDevOps@reddit
No , not really I am not fawning for my workplace , set clear boundaries about sickness.
Although I grew up with an abusive parent where even sick I had to go to school so if I'm sick I'm sick
That's why there is sick pay.
They are not paying you US salaries and stocks and you are not a tech millionaire by 30 with 500k base salary + stock so why bother.
Call that fucking sick day out man.
Rubberfootman@reddit
I don’t think I’ve ever taken a sick day while WFH, but I’m a contractor, so if I don’t work I don’t get paid.
Severe_Mastodon8072@reddit
My original approach was calling in sick whenever I was too ill to work effectively + would benefit from sick leave.
Unfortunately that led to meetings with HR so now I’m with you lol.
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