Everyone gets sick. No matter how much hand sanitizer we use or how much vitamin C we take, it will get us at some point.
Getting sick in the workplace can be a tricky business. Decisions will have to be made: Do you go into work or do you call in sick? If you think you will be unproductive or infect others, most likely the answer should be to call in sick. The following provides some tips to help you do it right and protect your job and organization in the process.
Tips for Calling in Sick to Work
Know how your boss wants you to report your illness: The first step occurs long before you feel ill. Ask your boss in advance how they prefer to hear from you when you need to take a sick day. Some supervisors prefer a quick email or text, while others want a more formal phone call. The advantage of a phone call is the boss can discuss with you about your condition and what must get done in your absence. Sometimes even your boss will not know what your absence will mean for the company. Be ready to explain what ramifications can occur.
Notify as soon as possible: It is never a good thing to have your boss wondering where you are. Let your boss know about your condition as soon as physically possible. If you know the night before you will not be in, go ahead and send a message. Otherwise, tell your boss first thing in the morning prior to your start time.
Do not overshare: No one wants to know about your night of vomiting and diarrhea. Keep the message short and to the point. Only share the essential information such as expected duration of the illness, deadlines that could be missed, work load, etc.
Inform your team: Do not rely on your boss to let your team know you are out. Make a quick call or text to the team, let them know if you need them to cover for you and when to expect you back.
Inform the team about your availability: If you can take phone calls and respond to text or email, let your coworkers know. This can really alleviate the craziness you could return to when you are better and reduce potential stress of those covering for you while you are out.
When you return: If your company requires documentation, be prepared to bring it in with you when you return. Do not make them ask for it. Check in with your boss and coworkers to see if any big developments occurred that need immediate attention. Try to respond to your missed emails and voicemails within 24 hours of your return. Avoid the temptation to overshare the details of your illness. Remember, most people do not want to know.
Do not forget to reciprocate: When your coworker or your boss is sick, jump in and help them out as much as possible. This will show you are a team player and will reduce the stress others feel when they must call in sick the next time.
Prepare for absences in advance: Every organization has critical needs, deadlines and have specialized people who respond to those needs. It only makes sense to prepare for absences of
important staff members to ensure that those critical needs always will be met even when the employee is out sick. Organizations must have employees who are cross-trained so that illness or other emergencies do not leave you with unfinished tasks that damage your company.
Life is not like it was in middle school when you got an award for perfect attendance. In fact, there are no medals for being the martyr who drags themselves into the office coughing and sneezing all over their coworkers. This can be viewed as reckless disregard for other's health and will make you an extremely unpopular employee. Certainly, you do not want to call in sick too often and create an appearance of faking illness to get a day off; however, done correctly, calling in sick will give you the chance to recover and will give your coworkers peace of mind that you are not going to give them the flu.
The information contained in this article is intended to provide useful information on the topic covered, but should not be construed as legal advice or a legal opinion.
