Admit it; you’ve worked from home while not feeling your best. But enduring a “silent sickness,” as some experts call it, can only lower your work performance, cause you to burn out quicker, and make your workplace culture into a less tolerant and understanding environment. Read on to learn more about how complicated the world of working remotely while sick really is.

The culture of working while sick

The image

Companies frequently present an image that they care more about their employees’ well-being now than before the pandemic. Mental and physical health are at the forefront of any company culture’s selling points, and they have the perks to prove it. The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that 25 percent of companies have added more paid sick leave or time off options for employees in the past two years. And some companies have even added “personal emergency days” to their valid reasons for taking a sick day.

The reality

Despite the organizational drive towards wellness, working remotely had a bit of a counterintuitive effect on the culture of working sick. Data shows that the pandemic made people want to work sick even more now. Either they don’t want to seem like they’re abusing work-from-home benefits, or they don’t see working as too much of an imposition when they’re already home. You might think, “I’m just sitting around my house anyway – may as well be logged into Slack or tap into a meeting or two.” Consequently, 70 percent of employees have worked from home while sick, but they also take longer than usual breaks throughout the day to accommodate their illness.

One particular study from OnePoll and ColdCalm reports that almost half of those polled believe that other illnesses are now considered “minor” compared to COVID-19. Additionally, almost two-thirds of employees think employers would scoff at those who take a sick day for anything other than COVID. And whether they mean to perpetuate this notion or not, companies are enabling a culture of overwork; 57 percent of employees say that working through illness was seen as a strength by coworkers.

Is it worth it?

Working sick really isn’t worth the trouble, research says. Your job performance obviously decreases when you work sick, as your brain isn’t firing on all cylinders. But beyond that, not calling in sick now increases the likelihood that you’ll be calling in sick later for a more extended period of time. Working while sick is also correlated with depression and anxiety rates, as it can cause stress and discomfort.