1 in 4 workers would need to be in the hospital to call in sick

1 in 4 workers would need to be in the hospital to call in sick1 in 4 workers would need to be in the hospital to call in sickWith flu season upon us, it will be important to take the time off that you need if you get sick. You dont want to spread your germs to coworkers who havent been hit by symptoms yet, or expose yourself to whatever else is lurking in your office. That makes newresearch findings from Canada Life Group Insurance among UK workers that much more disturbing Almost a quarter of them - 23% - would have to be in the hospital, or have no other choice, to call in sick.The research touches on presenteeism - sort of the opposite of absenteeism - when an employee goes to work despite an illness that prevents him or her from fully functioning at work.Heres what else research has found, andhow to get serious about your healthinstead of just showing up when youre unable to perform well.Employees feel judged by others when they take sick daysThe Canada Life Group Insurance researchgave the primary reasons why people come in sick17%of peoplereported not wanting to look weak for not coming in over a short-term illness14% are nervous about being seen as lazy13% are nervous about being considered not dedicated12% said that coworkers/company leaders me feel guilty for taking time off even if Im illU.S. employees judge others for coming in sickThe trend of workers coming in to the office despite illness isnt limited to the UK.Results from the NSF Workplace Flu Survey show that 98% of American workers judge their colleagues for coming in to work sick. But only a sliver of them seem to feel negatively about it - 16% think their coworkers who do this are selfish or dont care about the well-being of their co-workers, while 67% think those who do are hard workers.Only 26% say theyve come to the office while battling an illness, and 57% say theyd encourage a colleague doing the same thing to head home if they thought they were too sick to be at work.Twenty-five percent say theyve come in when under the weather because their boss expects them to come in no matter what.Heres what happens when you stumble into work sickTheres a chance that your performance will suffer, and youll make others ill - in fact, the Canada Life Group Insurance researchamong UK workers found that 48% of respondents reported getting sick because of an ill coworker more than once.Paul Avis, Marketing Director at Canada Life Group Insurance, commented on the research in a statementIt is incredibly worrying it would take something as serious as being hospitalized to dissuade a quarter of British employees from going into work, showing that a stiff upper lip culture of presenteeism still pervades the British workforce, Avis said. People suffering from illnesses like flu and stomach bugs are unlikely to be productive and risk making their colleagues unwell as well by struggling into work.How to beat presenteeism at workWe all need to take our health seriously - heres how to take a sick dayand feel less guilty about it.Employees, dont come in - but consider lending a hand laterProtect both yourself and others.Results from the NSF Flu Survey show that you should take precautions by not reporting to work when you feel like youre coming down with a cold.While the inclination might be to power through an illness and go to work when youre starting to feel zustrom down, the best thing to do is stay home. Going to work not only puts your co-workers at risk of getting sick, but may further strain your immune system, NSF says. If you feel you must work while sick, talk to your boss about handling some projects from home or see if one of your co-workers might be able to help out on a project (you can return the favor for them in the future should they become sick).Employers, its about policyIt isnt all up to the employee.2010 research from the Journal of General Internal Medicineon an outbreak of viral gastroenteritis in a long-term care facility sheds light on what employers can do to fight the trend.In the current era of frequent international travel and novel pandemic influenza virus outbreaks, vigilance is required to ensure that appropriate, common sense infection control procedures are in place, including enforcement of policies preventing health care staff from working while they are potentially infectious, the research says. These policies should include the availability of unrestricted paid sick leave, systematic processes for screening ill employees, and mandatory exclusion rules. A fundamental shift is necessary by health care organizations to view measures like unrestricted sick leave not solely as employee benefits, but rather as real investment opportunities that help protect patient safety.