I’ll admit it — there have been times when I’ve called out sick and was feeling just fine. But there have been just as many times when I’ve dragged myself to work when I should have stayed in bed!
They call it “presenteeism” — people going to work when they’re sick. And it’s an epidemic in the United States. As much as 75% of the workforce is willing to go into the office when they aren’t feeling well. But are you really as productive when you’re sick? I’m usually not. The lost productivity from presenteeism can be more expensive to your employer than if you had just taken a sick day.
Here are some clues that you may be too sick to go to work:
- Check your temperature. If you have a fever — stay home! Get plenty of fluids and stay away from work until you are fever-free for 24 hours.
- Check your throat. White patches on your throat and tonsils could mean strep throat.
- Sniffling but not achy and feverish? You’re probably okay to go to work. Sniffling, achy, tired, and feverish? Stay home. Even if it’s just a cold, you’re still contagious — and your coworkers don’t want to catch it.
- A deep, breath-stealing cough that brings up a lot of mucus is probably something serious. Stay home and call your doctor — bringing up green phlegm can be a sign of a serious upper respiratory infection like pneumonia or bronchitis.
- Eyes red and gloppy? It might be pinkeye, which is highly contagious. Call your doctor and skip work until you’ve gotten some antibiotics.
- Ear infections aren’t contagious but they can really hurt. You might need a doctor’s visit to see what’s causing your distress but you could probably go to work if the pain is tolerable.
Even if you “just” have a cold, your body needs rest to start the healing process. Pushing yourself to go to work and do all the things you usually do when you’re healthy is going to make your recovery time that much longer.
One last thing to remember — the over the counter or prescription medicines you take for what ails you may not make you good enough to go into work anyway. Over the counter antihistamines and other cold medicines (even if marked “non-drowsy” can still leave you slow, sluggish, and mentally fogged.