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 According to a report by the Office of National Statistics, reported in the Guardian newspaper, call centre workers are the most likely to call in sick. In the survey, 4.8% had taken at least a day off in the previous week, compared with the national average of 2.5%. But the public's response to this news is as interesting as the survey results themselves.
One visitor to the Guardian's website has posted, "Got hit by both of the two-week flus going around London at present. Bluurgh. I was so bored I'd rather have been at work, if I could have lifted my head off the pillow without falling over". Another wrote: "I feel guilty enough when I am genuinely off sick, let alone pulling them for any other reason, let alone the three million emails awaiting my return". Can it really be that the British public (although this could apply to many countries) genuinely lacks the imagination to find things to do with their time which are both more interesting and more rewarding than answering emails? There is, of course, a lot of social conditioning to overcome: hundreds of years of the Protestant work ethic have taught us that hard work is the panacea for all ills. However, the best panacea is, of course, throwing a sickie. Put the kettle on and make that call. if you really don't fancy going in to work, why bother? Your stress won't help anybody in the long run, anyway - not even your employer. Should you need help and advice on how to sound convincing, IF forum members have suggested earplugs in the nostrils: 'hey presto a severe head cold for that 'sickie' phone call. Almost guaranteed to elicit a "God yeah you sound really bunged up" from the person on the other end of the phone,' according to Dharmabum, whilst 9DaysDead counsels, 'you should also lie down whilst making that call. Give a certain strangledyness to your voice'. Are you sure you'd rather go to work? |
