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.
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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.
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The research shows the average Australian has 27 days in accrued sick leave.
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Tim Bennett, insurance expert at Finder, said even employees with a backlog of paid 'sick days' loath to use them when under the weather.
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"It's troubling to see how much pressure Aussie's feel to work while genuinely unwell.
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"Some employees are made to feel like they're taking advantage of their employer if they call in sick.
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"Others experience shame and guilt when they have a day off – choosing to work through sickness.
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"For some workers, no work means no pay, so they literally can't afford to be sick."
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Bennett said the attitude to illness had shifted since work from home arrangements had become the norm.
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"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.
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"But with many people working from home, taking a full sick day might feel unnecessary unless you are too unwell to open your computer.
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"During the cost of living crisis – salaried staff are reluctant to take time off because of the current economic climate."
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Bennett said it's important to rest and give yourself time to recover when sick.
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"Trying to power through an illness, injury or other health issue can end up being less productive than taking time to recover.
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"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."
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He said getting sick can be stressful on many fronts especially financially.
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"If an employee runs out of sick leave and has to take extended time off, things can get complicated."
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Full-time employees in Australia are granted ten days of paid 'personal/carer's leave' – commonly called sick leave – each year.
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"Long-term illness or a major injury can demand much more than this, which is where income protection comes in.
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"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."
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| Do you feel pressure to work when you are sick? | |
|---|---|
| Yes | 47% |
| No | 53% |
| Source: Finder survey of 648 Australian workers, June 2024 |
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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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