A guide for calling in sick
At some point in their careers, many people fall into the dilemma of whether or not to call in sick on a given day. They wake up feeling groggy, out of sorts, or just plain awful. At this point a decision must be made of whether or not to head into work.
There are a few different schools of thought on this. The first one believes one has to be on their deathbed before they'll call in sick; the second group feels they are entitled to use their sick time, in some cases, even if they aren't sick. Then there is a third group, which most people probably fall into, who believe calling in sick is warranted when they are ill. They may not be on their deathbed, but also do not want to infect others in the office. This group may decide to stay home, rest and recuperate. The tricky part is deciphering what kinds of illness warrant taking a sick day.
If you're really sick, no matter how much you feel you want or need to be at work, it is important to consider you may infect others which could impact your entire workplace. If there is potential you are contagious or have something serious, call in sick. Once you've decided you are indeed sick enough to take the day off, there is certain etiquette to follow when calling in sick. Here are a few tips:
Ideally it is best if you call and to alert your supervisor you won't be in before your shift starts or at the beginning of the shift. If this is not possible, at least leave a message early enough in the work day so your boss can plan appropriate staff and/or shift coverage during your absence.
Sleeping in and calling later in the day after the workday has started is poor etiquette, unless an emergency situation has warranted an inability to call. It's always best to talk directly to your supervisor as early as possible.
While some workplaces may be receptive to text messaging, it is better to give the courtesy of a telephone call or, in some cases, an e-mail is appropriate if policy allows this practice. This way if your boss has questions about pending projects or other pressing issues on the calendar, they can talk to you about it and make alternative arrangements.
The school of thought which believes in entitlement of sick time and calling in sick 'just because' they have the allotted time to use can lead to problems in the workplace. People who routinely call in sick one day a month eventually get the reputation of being a slacker or abusing time.
It is one thing to take a day off occasionally even if you aren't sick, but habitually calling in sick on a routine basis is poor work etiquette and likely to do damage to a career over the long term.
If you're truly ill, be honest and straight to the point. You don't need to go into elaborate detail about your illness unless you are asked. On the other hand if you aren't sick, but just want the day off, you should consider taking a personal or vacation day instead. Sick days are designated for being ill and whether your company gives you a limited number of sick days or unlimited number, it's not a good idea to take advantage of the time.
Even if it's difficult to accept you need to call in sick, there are other considerations to make. If you're ill, your performance level will likely be lower or you may not get much work done anyway. It is better for you and your company if you take a day's rest to recuperate and/or see a doctor if symptoms are more serious.
Whatever you do, don't call in with a ridiculous excuse because this could hurt your career down the road. Some people have had some pretty crazy sounding excuses, according to a 2013Careerbuildersurvey.
