Can’t be sick: 1 in 2 Aussie workers feel pressured to work when ill
Millions of Aussies think they need to 'tough it out' at work when they're sick, according to new research by Finder.
A Finder survey of 648 workers revealed almost half (47%) – equivalent to 6.8 million people – feel pressured to turn up to work when they are unwell.
The research shows the average Australian has 27 days in accrued sick leave.
Tim Bennett, insurance expert at Finder, said even employees with a backlog of paid 'sick days' loath to use them when under the weather.
"It's troubling to see how much pressure Aussie's feel to work while genuinely unwell.
"Some employees are made to feel like they're taking advantage of their employer if they call in sick.
"Others experience shame and guilt when they have a day off – choosing to work through sickness.
"For some workers, no work means no pay, so they literally can't afford to be sick."
Bennett said the attitude to illness had shifted since work from home arrangements had become the norm.
"Taking a sick day used to be a public service – it meant you weren't getting others sick and you had to disconnect from the office.
"But with many people working from home, taking a full sick day might feel unnecessary unless you are too unwell to open your computer.
"During the cost of living crisis – salaried staff are reluctant to take time off because of the current economic climate."
Bennett said it's important to rest and give yourself time to recover when sick.
"Trying to power through an illness, injury or other health issue can end up being less productive than taking time to recover.
"You can't cash-out sick leave if you resign or are laid-off, so there's no sense in not using your allowance if you become unwell."
He said getting sick can be stressful on many fronts especially financially.
"If an employee runs out of sick leave and has to take extended time off, things can get complicated."
Full-time employees in Australia are granted ten days of paid 'personal/carer's leave' – commonly called sick leave – each year.
"Long-term illness or a major injury can demand much more than this, which is where income protection comes in.
"This type of insurance can pay you up to 75% of your monthly salary if you need to take time off for an extended period."
| Do you feel pressure to work when you are sick? | |
|---|---|
| Yes | 47% |
| No | 53% |
| Source: Finder survey of 648 Australian workers, June 2024 |
Methodology
- Finder's Consumer Sentiment Tracker is a monthly recurring nationally representative survey of more than 60,000 respondents.
- Figures in this release are based on 1,062 respondents from June 2024, 648 of whom work full or part time.
- The Consumer Sentiment Tracker is owned by Finder and operated by Qualtrics, an SAP company.
- The survey has been running monthly since May 2019.
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