Employees Are Making Each Other Sick

Ninety percent of employees admitted in a survey from Accountemps they’ve at least sometimes come to the office with cold or flu symptoms.

Of those respondents, 33% indicated they always go to work even when they’re under the weather. More employees ages 25 to 40 (39%) reported always coming to work sick than respondents ages 18 to 24, 55 and older (27% each) and ages 41 to 54 (26%).

More than half (54%) of respondents said they go into work sick because they have too much work to do, 40% don’t want to use a sick day, and 34% reported they feel pressure from their employers to come into work.

“Staying home when you’ve got a cold or the flu is the best way to avoid spreading germs to others and fight the illness faster,” says Michael Steinitz, senior executive director of Accountemps, a division of Robert Half. “Bosses should set an example by taking time off when they’re under the weather, encouraging employees to do the same and offering those with minor ailments the ability to work from home.”

The survey included responses from 2,800 workers ages 18 and older and employed in office environments in 28 U.S. cities.