A common complaint of employers is that staff are all too ready to claim illness and never miss an opportunity to “pull a sickie”. But is this true? 

Two thirds (67 per cent) of workers in Scotland go into work when they are unwell, with 62 per cent admitting that they feel guilty for taking sick days.

And the average worker in Scotland – 79 per cent - only takes between one to three sick days a year.

Research by independent job site CV-Library based on a survey of 1,300 UK workers, also found that 81.5 per cent of Scottish workers advise that it is unbeneficial for businesses to have staff in when they’re unwell.

However, the survey found that managers in Scotland are the most supportive of employees when they are unwell, though four in ten of workers did state that their employer questions their sickness when they are ill.

Worse still, managers in Scotland were the most likely (58.5%) to contact their employees whilst off sick, adding pressure and not giving staff time, and space, to relax and recover.

(Is that enough, Ed? I feel a headache coming on.)

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