Majority Of Employees Still Showing Up To Work While Sick

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. (CBS) – Sneezing, coughing and feeling all-around miserable while on the job?

You’re not alone. According to a survey from Staples, 60% of employees still go to work sick with the flu.

Yuck.

While the percentage might seem high, Staples says it’s actually the first time in five years it’s dropped.

Why, you might ask, are so many dragging themselves to work while ill?

Forty-percent say they feel there is just too much going on to be absent, while 31% say they think their boss appreciates the effort.

But that’s not the case, according to those managers. Eighty-eight percent of supervisors would rather sick employees stay home, and both employees and employers realize that being sick at the office usually results in a drop in productivity.

“While we are encouraged that for the first time in five years the number of sick employees coming into work has dropped, 60 percent is still a significant number,” said Chris Correnti, Vice President of Staples Facility Solutions at Staples Advantage, the business-to-business division of Staples, in a release. “Clearly there is still much work to be done. Recent outbreaks such as Enterovirus in the U.S. underscore the importance of fostering a culture of workplace wellness. ”

Hear that? Next time you’re coming down with something, do everyone a favor and call out sick.