In the northern hemisphere the first Monday of February is known as “National Sickie Day” and research has shown that more often than not the employees are not sick but suffering from a hangover. A long wait for the January pay-day is often the cause of this.
On the flip side it has been a freezing winter for most and winter bugs are prevalent. Sadly many employees feel too guilty to take sick leave and it has been said that 90% of employees have been in to work despite being sick and sick leave is frowned upon in the business. This can create a high amount of anxiety amongst employees and can in fact decrease productivity. The common term for this sort of behavior is “presenteeism” which can lead to people believing that they have to always be available and working but sadly this can lead to the entire office being affected by a “bug” of sorts and making the problem bigger.
In South Africa not only do we have the long walk through January to pay day but because the Basic Conditions of Employment Act states that employees are entitled to a specific number of sick leave days per annum, employees believe that this can be added to their annual leave and that they can take it when they wish.
At The Orange we are working with organizations and individuals to understand “wellness” and how this can affect the productivity and loyalty of employees.