What to Do When Calling in Sick is Unavoidable

What to Do When Calling in Sick is UnavoidableWhat to Do When Calling in Sick is UnavoidableWith cold and flu season upon us, many professionals will face the tough decision of calling in sick or just powering through, despite the fact that most companies discourage working when sick.While you may worry about falling behind if you take a sick day, its far better to stay home, unplug and rest when you feel the flu coming on or youre contagious with a viral illness.In an ideal world, wed all have unlimited sick days and paid time off, along with someone to bring us chicken soup, but thats usually leid the case. Besides potentially making your illness worse and infecting others in the process, going to work sick can cost your employer, too. Here are some general tips about when and how to call in sickA checklist to follow when calling in sickSend an email or call your manager at the start of the day. (Make sure you know ahead of time the preferred method of alerting your boss when youre sick.)Send another message to key members of your team to let them know you are calling in sick and if you will be responding to email. (This is especially important when you have a project youre working on or a deadline coming up.)Keep it brief and to the point. (Theres no need to divulge specific details about your symptoms.)Never lie or exaggerate your illness. (It can come back to bite you and permanently damage your credibility.)If youre a temporary employee, be sure you also contact your recruiter about your absence.SEARCH OUR JOB OPENINGSWhen to absolutely stay homeIf youre seriously sneezing and coughing. This is how a cold spreads, and if you dont have your own office, frequent coughing is likely to disturb your coworkers.If you have active symptoms, such as chills, fatigue and body aches. These are early signs of the flu, and you are often contagious a day before you have symptoms.If you have a fever. A high temperature signals that your body is fighting something off and that you need to rest. Staying home to rest will help you recover mora quickly.If you are vomiting or have diarrhea. Things like food poisoning and 24-hour bugs need bed rest and lots of fluids more than anything.If youre otherwise contagious. Anyone with a condition such as pink eye should definitely stay home to avoid passing on the illness to others.If the medication youre on affects your alertness. You wont be at 100 percent while trying to do your job, and driving could be dangerous. Dont risk it.When it makes sense to go back or keep workingIf youre no longer contagious. You are capable of transmitting the cold or flu virus to others for about a week after you initially get sick.If youre feeling a lot better. Once youre out of the danger zone, or your doctor has given you the thumbs up, going to work can be a relief from the monotony of staying home sick.If its just allergies. Theyre annoying, not contagious, so there is no need to worry about getting your coworkers sick. Do consider taking a decongestant or antihistamine to minimize your coughing and sneezing, though.How to avoid getting sick at workWash your hands frequently. Washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is the best way to ensure you dont spread germs or catch them.Try not to share too much. If you can help it, dont share food, phones, keyboards or a computer mouse with coworkers.Keep your workspace clean. Wipe down surfaces at your desk with an alcohol-based solution.Consider getting a flu shot. Ben Franklin was right An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The Centers for Disease Control recommends annual flu vaccines to help you build antibodies that can protect you from infection.If your company allows it, and youre feeling up to it, working from home is an option. But keep in mind that the most important thing may be to focus on getting better. Pushing yourself when youre sick may have the opposite effect.By taking care of yourself and getting some rest after calli ng in sick, youll be on the road to recovery and back to work more quickly.Employers, if you need backup during cold and flu season, Robert Half can help you quickly. Consult our staffing experts.START HIRING NOW