Are You a Hero If You Come to Work Sick?
Celeste Blackburn SPHR
248 Posts
Today's [I]Wall Street Journal[/I] has an article "Are You a Hero If You Come to Work Sick?" The article is actually taken from the [I]WSJ's[/I]blog [URL="http://blogs.wsj.com/juggle/"]"The Juggle." [/URL] There, the name of the post is [URL="http://blogs.wsj.com/juggle/2009/11/23/youre-no-office-hero-if-you-come-to-work-sick/"]"You're No Office Hero If You Come to Work Sick."[/URL]
One of the respondents on the blog says "The reality is that you were likely contagious and sharing the germs before you were symptomatic. So while it's yucky to have sick people in the office, they aren't likely making more people sick. Better for everyone to wash their hands more."
Most of the other people leaving comments seem to want people to stay at home if they may be sick. But, in practice, how does that really work? Seems to me that if everyone stayed home when they had the sniffles, a lot of people would be missing a lot more work -- and productivity would suffer.
So where's the line?
Another thing I wonder: At what point do you stop praising someone for being cautious and calling off work when they may be sick and start thinking that they might be abusing the system and people's paranoia (especially about the swine flu) to stay at home and watch the soaps?
Also . . . if you are dealing with this issue in your workplace, check out our free white paper on [URL="http://www.hrhero.com/whitepapers/"]presenteeism by clicking here[/URL].
One of the respondents on the blog says "The reality is that you were likely contagious and sharing the germs before you were symptomatic. So while it's yucky to have sick people in the office, they aren't likely making more people sick. Better for everyone to wash their hands more."
Most of the other people leaving comments seem to want people to stay at home if they may be sick. But, in practice, how does that really work? Seems to me that if everyone stayed home when they had the sniffles, a lot of people would be missing a lot more work -- and productivity would suffer.
So where's the line?
Another thing I wonder: At what point do you stop praising someone for being cautious and calling off work when they may be sick and start thinking that they might be abusing the system and people's paranoia (especially about the swine flu) to stay at home and watch the soaps?
Also . . . if you are dealing with this issue in your workplace, check out our free white paper on [URL="http://www.hrhero.com/whitepapers/"]presenteeism by clicking here[/URL].
Comments
Our business includes a food service department and so its vital that sick employees do not come to work.
We also have shared housing (dorms and group housing for some of our single staff) so its CRUCIAL that the spread of sickness is actively prevented.
I draw the line at staying home because a family member is sick (unless its necessary to provide care). However, if the employee begins to feel sick, they should leave work immediately.
We are following the current (I think they are still current) guidelines of staying home until there has been no fever for 24 hours (without the aid of fever reducing medications).
While I know I'm not contagious (or really even sick), it's hard to convince people otherwise at first. Eventually, once they are around me enough, they see it's just the way I am.
Yes. I am a hero. Learn to live with it.
"Come to work, do your job, and don't pause in front of my door and cough violently to make sure I know what a trouper you are."
Ask and you shall receive. I agree. Having a case of the "martyrs" is worse than any swine flu. At least for those around the person with said illness.
Celeste
Tony . . . ?