Hard times have workers too afraid to call in sick

Published on Monday 6 October 2008 00:46

SCOTS workers are less likely to call in sick, amid fears over their jobs in the current economic climate, research out today will suggest.

Dubbed "presenteeism", a survey found staff are increasingly reluctant to take time off work through illness.

The trend has been attributed to the financial slowdown, as workers are keen to prove their commitment to their jobs.

The health plan provider HSA said more than a third of people (36 per cent) questioned said that they were less likely to take a day off sick now than they were a year ago.

Gary Cooper, a professor in Organisational Psychology at Lancaster University Management School, said: "People are worried about their jobs. Presenteeism usually occurs in a downturn because employees want to show commitment for fear of job loss, so they will come in earlier, stay later and come in even when they are sick."