Flexible Schedule Could Keep Workers from Playing Hooky

August 31, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - A new global survey commissioned by The Workforce Institute at Kronos Incorporated reveals employees in counties all over the world, have all, to varying degrees, called in sick to work when they were not actually sick.

China led all other surveyed regions, with 71% of employees admitting to calling in sick when they were not actually sick. France had the smallest number with only 16%. Other countries polled included India with 62%, Australia with 58%, Canada with 52%, the U.S. with 52%, the UK with 43%, and Mexico with 38%.  

According to a press release, when asked why they have ever called in sick when they were not actually sick, the overwhelming response in every region was that employees felt stressed/needed a day off: 71% in Canada, 62% in the U.S., 60% in China, 57% in the UK, 53% in France, 51% in Australia, 46% in Mexico, and 44% in India. Other reasons selected included needing to take care of a sick child, having too heavy a workload, and not having enough paid leave.  

When asked what their employers could do to prevent them from calling in sick to work when they weren’t actually sick, the top response in every region but France was to offer employees the opportunity to work flexible hours. In France, employees said that summer Fridays – being offered the opportunity to take Fridays in the summer off and make them up during the week – would make the biggest impact. Being given the opportunity to work from home, and the opportunity to take unpaid leave, also rated high among employees around the world.