I encourage you to take sick days when you need them. Rest. Heal. Take care of yourself. | Christopher Riddick, Ed.D. posted on the topic | LinkedIn (2024)

Sally Wolf

LinkedIn Top Voice • Speaker • Wellbeing Advisor and Advocate • Stage IV Cancer Thriver • Auntie • Dancer • Ex: Booz, Time Warner, NBCUniversal • Alum: Harvard, Stanford GSB • Empowering others to flourish in work & life

4d

Yes to the DAYS - for all the reasons you list, and I'll add one more - honoring that if you're still even a bit under the weather, you might pass something on to a colleague/team mate. Many of the folks I know who have recently had covid or flu are reasonably certain they caught it at work. So in the spirit of caring is sometimes not sharing, that extra day helps keeps germs in check and yields optimal team health - and in turn performance, too.

Mike McCann

Writes and Speaks on Business Development and Business Communication|Specializing in Converting Decision Making prospects into Customers

3d

I believe a person should be honest. If you're really sick, call in sick and stay in bed until you're well.If you just don't feel like working or want to go to a Mets game that day, as a manager, I would prefer a person just tell me so...I would probably say "fine" if that employee is otherwise competent and conscientious. I value an honest person.I've actually had a man tell me he wanted to celebrate his granddaughter's birthday instead of coming into work and I appreciated his honesty and said "okay"...no problem...see you Monday.

Domingo Gonzalez

Store Manager

4d

I absolutely agree that one DAY is not the cure all. Add in the differential of those who work behind the scenes in a supportive role, I.e. HQ/corporate office versus those of us who work directly with the end consumer in healthcare, retail, the service industry, hospitality, and so much more. That’s not even including parents who inevitably have to call in sick because their children are sick. If I call out, I impact the entire team working that day which can impact the morale of the team I work with, in addition to the customer/client/guest/patient that walk in that day. There is no perfect solution, however having more flexible sick time across all channels, being understanding that a sick DAY isn’t long enough to cure the flu, and having proper support from the organization we are employed by is a step in the right direction. The last thing I want is to be at work bc I only have a limited allotted amount of sick time and can’t afford to lose a day of pay, while also puts my team at risk.

Kristine Dejanovich, CSW

Area Administrator at Wisconsin Department of Health Services

3d

America/Americans have had this all backwards for decades. Why can't we think like other wealthy nations & put the health & happiness of our people first? Sure, there are a few occupations where 24-7 operations are critical. I worked in one of them for many years at an institution for people with profound intellectual/developmental disabilities. But, for the vast majority of jobs, is it really going to kill a customer to possibly wait another day or two for something, especially in this post-pandemic world where supply chains are still often delayed anyway? Our attitude of instant gratification is killing us. I myself have gotten caught up in this mentality & have struggled to take even a scheduled day off at times muchless a sick day. I have really worked on this on recent years. TAKE THE DAY OFF. You don't even have to provide a reason. If you are sick, you're sick. If your mind is cluttered & just needs a break, give it a break. If you really want to attend that special event next Wednesday, do it. Being a slave to the 8:00-5:00 (or whatever your shift is) for decades gets exhausting - mentally and/or physically depending on your job. You only get one chance at this life. Use it wisely. It could change at any moment...

Minda Zetlin

3d

I've worked from home as a solopreneur for decades, which makes the whole sick day thing easier. But I still had to recognize when I was too sick to sit at my desk and work. Getting others to recognize that was a whole other challenge. I'll never forget the client who, when I told him I had to cancel a meeting because I had pneumonia, insisted on rescheduling it for the following day. (Much more about that in my book, BTW.)

William Lewis

Senior Technical Writer-Consultant

2d

I'll never forget the orientation day to a job at a large operation in which there were several obviously ill people in a room of about 20 new employees. I pretty much knew I would catch something, and I did. I never bounced back from the stress of trying to function that first week. It was a high-stress environment to begin with and I didn't feel I could ask for days off a new job. I ended up quitting for my health.

Vanessa McFarlane

Business and Revenue Operations Lead at Cantaloupe, Inc.

3d

Employees shouldn't have to pretend to be sick either to take a mental health day.

James Gibson

NMR Spectroscopist and Chemistry Process Troubleshooter

2d

I got booted off another comment to this original post, but I'm going to still try to make my point. Have you ever had your pay docked between Christmas and New Year's because you had to take PTO that you didn't have? I have. And that's why I will not take my own sick days during the year, because taking my own sick days does not leave me with enough PTO necessary.

Steve Castellani

Postal Carrier Hanover, NH

2d

If we miss so much as one day using sick leave, upon our return we get a pleasant "discussion" with the supervisor about the need to be regular in attendance. Even for employees that seldom, if ever, call out sick. Any unexcused absence is now cause for a "discussion" about attendance.

Rudolph Scoggins

Principal | Consultant | Engineering | Defense

2d

If you're entitled to sick time and you really need it, take it and don't apologize for doing so. You don't need anyone's permission to protect your health.