date: 11 February 2009
embargo: 00.01hrs Friday 13 February 2009
One in four went to work when too ill
in January
One in four (24 per cent) of the workforce went to work despite thinking they were too ill to do so in January, according to a YouGov poll commissioned by the TUC and published today (Friday). And the big majority of those struggled in because they did not want to let others down.
The TUC says the poll paints a very different picture of sickness absence to the caricature that British workers are always taking bogus sickies and stay home at the first sign of a sniffle.
Workplace absence statistics collected by the CBI support these findings and show that sickness absence has in fact been steadily falling over the past decade. Ten years ago the average worker took an average of 8.5 days off sick a year. Last year it was 6.7 days. This is a fall of over 20 per cent, and the second lowest figure since records began in 1987.
According to the YouGov poll more than half the workforce (57 per cent) say they have gone to work when too ill during the last year. Only one in eight (12 per cent) say they have never gone to work when too ill.
This trend is on the increase. The TUC asked similar questions in a poll - using a very slightly different base, but at the same time of year - in 2004, when one in five (19 per cent) said that they had been to work in the last month when too ill to do so. Twice as many, one in four (25 per cent), said they had never been to work when too ill.
People say they go to work when ill because they don't want to let people down, more than because of pressure from above to do so. More than one in four (28 per cent) in the 2009 poll say they went to work because colleagues 'depend on the job I do, and I didn't want to let them down', followed by one in five (21 per cent) who say they 'did not want to give their colleagues extra work'.
Slightly fewer (18 per cent) said they 'did not want to let their employer down.' In total, two in three (67 per cent) went to work when ill because they didn't want to let clients, workmates or their bosses down.
But, while still a minority of the workforce, there are substantial numbers of people who say they are pressured into going into work. More than three million (13 per cent) say they cannot afford to lose pay and nearly 1.5 million (six per cent) say they are worried that their boss would take action against them.
More than one in four (29 per cent) say that the recession will make them more likely to go to work when ill.
TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'Too often we are told that British workers are always taking bogus sickies or taking time off at the first sign of a sniffle.
'But the truth is that we are a nation of mucus-troopers who struggle into work even when we are too ill because we do not want to let colleagues, clients or our employer down.
'While this is admirable, it is not always the best thing to do. Coughs and sneezes still spread diseases, and the worst thing you can do to your workmates is pass on your illness.'
POLL RESULTS
All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 1,389 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 28-30 January 2009. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults aged 18+.
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Sample Size: 1,389 |
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Fieldwork: 28-30 January 2009 |
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All |
Male |
Female |
|
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When was the last time you went to work when you were really too ill to do so? (If you do not currently work please tick 'Not applicable') |
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|
Within the last month |
24% |
23% |
26% |
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Not within the last month but within the last year |
33% |
32% |
34% |
|
More than a year ago |
27% |
28% |
25% |
|
Never |
12% |
12% |
11% |
|
Don't know |
5% |
5% |
4% |
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Does the rising level of unemployment change how likely it is that you will go to work when you are really too ill to do so? |
|||
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Yes, it makes me MORE likely to go to work when I am really too ill to do so |
29% |
26% |
31% |
|
Yes, it makes me LESS likely to go to work when I am really too ill to do so |
3% |
3% |
2% |
|
No, it makes no difference to whether I go to work when I am really too ill to do so |
65% |
66% |
63% |
|
Don't know |
4% |
4% |
4% |
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Thinking about the last time you went to work when you were really too ill to go which ONE of the following statements BEST describes why you went to work? |
All |
Male |
Female |
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Base: Current GB workforce who have been to work when they were really too ill to do so |
1228 |
635 |
593 |
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I didn't want to let my employer down |
18% |
18% |
18% |
|
I didn't want to give my colleagues extra work |
21% |
18% |
24% |
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People depend on the job I do, and I didn't want to let them down. |
28% |
30% |
27% |
|
I was worried that the boss would take action against me |
6% |
6% |
5% |
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I would have lost pay and couldn't afford it |
13% |
13% |
12% |
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Other |
10% |
10% |
10% |
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Don't know |
4% |
5% |
4% |
NOTES TO EDITORS:
- Details of the TUC's 2004 poll at http://www.tuc.org.uk/h_and_s/tuc-7528-f0.cfm
- Workplace absence statistics are from the 2008 AXA/CBI annual survey of sickness absence.
- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk
- Register for the TUC's press extranet: a service exclusive to journalists wanting to access pre-embargo releases and reports from the TUC. Visit www.tuc.org.uk/pressextranet
Contacts:
Media enquiries:
Liz Chinchen T: 020 7467 1248 M: 07778 158175 E: media@tuc.org.uk
Rob Holdsworth T: 020 7467 1372 M: 07717 531150 E: rholdsworth@tuc.org.uk
Elly Brenchley T: 020 7467 1337 M: 07900 910624 E: ebrenchley@tuc.org.uk
Press release (1,100 words) issued 13 Feb 2009