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Cold in the head or swinging the lead?

From the archive, first published Tuesday 7th Feb 2006.

WITH grey skies outside and the prospect of a two-month stretch to the next bank holiday, more workers chose to stay in their beds on February 6 than any other day of the year.

February 6 has been proclaimed National Sickie Day after a survey of 4,000 employees showed it is the most popular day for workers to phone - or even text - in with a fake illness.

Almost half of those questioned in the survey said they will take at least one unauthorised day off sick this year, either to catch up on sleep, extend a weekend break, recover from a hangover or go shopping.

Colin Jamieson, regional organiser for Dorset Federation of Small Businesses, said sick days cost the economy £12.5billion a year, and can be particularly problematic for small companies.

He said the culture of a "duvet day" - in which American companies allow staff members to stay in bed instead of coming to work - has become accepted.

"While it may be acceptable for larger businesses, it is totally unacceptable when any company's reliant on staff being in the right place at the right time," he said.

Bournemouth council's strategic human resources manager, Linda Taylor, said managers interview staff who have been off sick, and attendance has improved since a flexible working policy was implemented last April.

Paul Le Roi, general manager of the Bournemouth Highcliff Marriott, which employs 180 staff from 43 different countries, said he finds his staff very conscientious.

"We have a very small number of people who take sick days," he said. "Sometimes, I have to tell people to go home because they're not looking very well."

Juliette Vye, 21, a bar manager from Wimborne, said: "People call in sick all the time, but I know where they drink so I can go out and catch them in my break!

"I've found that Friday is the worst day for people calling in sick, trying to get a long weekend."

Financial consultant Caroline Pearce-Browne, 31, who works in Bournemouth town centre, said: "I work for myself. If I'm ill I don't get paid, so that's a good incentive not to pull sickies.

"I've worked at an investment bank in the past and have always had a low sickness record as it is a competitive environment and you don't want to be off at all."

Ashley Lutton, 19, from Wimborne Road, spent three years working for Pizza Hut.

"People who need the money don't bunk," he said.

"I think it's a bit cheeky that people would text their boss to call in sick - they should just say it to their face."

Student Nat Travis, 20, from Parkstone, said she once tried, unsuccessfully, to get her boss to give her time off by saying she had joined a Morris dancing group.

"I'm pretty good, but I would take a sickie," she said. "I'd only take it to do something constructive."

Jon Hawkins, who runs Planet Do-It Ltd consultancy and works for financial services in Bournemouth town centre, said: "I organise people at clients' companies to get stuff done, so if they're not there it's a bit hard to get them to do it.

"It's very frustrating if people are away."

And student Tom Richardson, 19, from Winton, who has worked a number of jobs, said: "With weather like this, sometimes you wake up and can't be bothered, but I would have thought that during the summer you wouldn't want to be stuck in the office."

First published: February 7, 2006