When Sick, Stay Home Or Go To Work?CHARLOTTE, NC - The flu is hitting the Carolinas hard. More than a dozen people have died in North Carolina and some blame people showing up sick at work for spreading the germs. It's called presenteeism - 84 percent of adults admit they've done it. Workplaces quickly become breeding grounds for bacteria and many sick folks just won't stay The top reasons employees cited going to work while sick is lack of paid sick days, worry of losing their job, too much work to do and no work-at-home capabilities. Doctor Jordan Lipton with Signature Healthcare says a struggling economy is partly to blame for the contagious choosing their cubicle over their couch. "People are forcing themselves to go to work, but unfortunately, that's not good for their productivity because people are proven to be less productive when they shouldn't be," said Lipton. Studies show that presenteeism - showing up to work when you shouldn't be- costs the U.S. economy over 200 billion dollars a year in loss productivity. That includes getting others sick. 45 percent of sick employees admit they don't take any precautions to make sure they don't spread their germs. "My co-worker is sick now, so when I go in tomorrow, I am going to sanitize everything so I don't get sick," said Steven Caraballo, an East Charlotte resident. With the Carolinas reporting high numbers of flu cases, it's better to be safe than sorry. "Co-workers should consider getting something like tamiflu or an anti-viral for the flu," said Lipton. If you haven't had one yet, it's not too late to get a flu shot. Doctors say a fever, aching joints, chills and a frequent cough are signs you should stay home. They say its okay to go to work if your sniffling, have a sinus infections or dry periodic coughs... though your co-workers may disagree! |
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