Michelle Soto, MD Provides Advice About When to Stay Home
Americans do not like missing work. Every year, 69 percent of Americans don’t call in sick when they should really be at home, according to Wakefield Research. Going to work is not smart since you are not only potentially spreading your illness to your co-workers, but you will also be less productive. A study by Staples in 2014 found that employees who head into work sick with a cold are 60 percent less productive.
Many people are afraid of calling in sick since they worry about falling behind or making a bad impression on their boss. Others do not have paid sick leave and worry about the lost income. Whatever the reason, taking a sick day is a smart move. You’ll spare your co-workers from your germs and by getting in some much needed rest, you’ll feel better more quickly.
People are often unsure whether they should call in sick. Sometimes, you feel so bad that it is clearly obvious you should not go into work – or anywhere else for that matter. If you are wondering about heading into work, here are some guidelines to help decide if you are too sick to head into work:
Sniffles: If you have the sniffles combined with a fever, feeling achy and tired, it’s time to stay home. You may have influenza or cold and staying home the first day or two when you are the most contagious is the best choice. Resting up at home will help you feel better more quickly so you’ll be more productive when you return to work.
Fever: A fever is a sign your body is fighting an infection so stay home. If your fever tops 102 degrees, consider calling your doctor to rule out influenza or another virus, like strep.
Cough: If you have a cough without other cold symptoms, it is fine to head into the office since it’s likely caused by allergies. If you cough up dark mucous or have a deep cough for several days, contact your doctor to rule out pneumonia or bronchitis.
Tummy trouble: If you keep running to the bathroom, it’s time to stay home. Your productivity will not only suffer, but there’s also the possibility of spreading the illness to co-workers.
Contagious disease: Some viruses, including pinkeye and hand, foot and mouth disease, are highly contagious and you should not return to work until you feel better and no longer contagious. Two other tips to help you stay healthy this winter: Wash your hands frequently, especially when you are around sick people, and get a flu shot. If you have any doubts about whether you are healthy enough to go to work, it is probably smart to just stay home. By getting enough rest, you will recover more quickly and return to work and to your regular productivity levels.
Michelle Soto, MD, is a family medicine physician at ThedaCare Physicians-Waupaca.
