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Original poster

Where do you stand on going to work with a cold?

120 replies

LittleDisaster · 03/01/2023 12:40

I was brought up to go to school or work unless you were really physically unable to. I did the same with my DC. I'm sure until recently that was the normal expectation. It was certain yrhe case in the industry I worked in for the first 25 years of my working life.

DS has a low level management role in a service industry and is very frustrated by the ease with which colleagues are prepared to take a day off.

Has there been a real step change or is it my/his upbringing that was weird?

OP posts:
baublesandbreakdowns · 03/01/2023 15:10

LittleDisaster · 03/01/2023 14:47

I'm going to say the vast majority of people still can't wfh. If you live in a nice MC bubble it might seem like the norm, but it's not for most people.

  1. Not everyone who works from home is middle class.
  2. Lots of people don't have generous sick pay, not just working class people.

I thought this was a genuine question but it seems not given your snippy response.

Maybe I'm a bit more sensitive than usual as I know someone who died of complications from flu before Christmas despite having had the vaccine.

Whilst people carry on as normal when they have viruses, other people suffer.

gogohmm · 03/01/2023 15:12

Take two ibroprofen and carry on is my motto.

bottledgrapes · 03/01/2023 15:14

I think it depends on the person, I've had a few days off with tonsillitis and was almost bed bound, no way could I have gone in but I've also had tonsillitis and barely noticed it so carried on as usual.
If I had a bad cold, eyes streaming, constant sniffles and headaches, no voice I couldn't do my job and I would be at home recovering and wouldn't want to work with someone who was in that state.
You have to decide for yourself if you're up to your job because an employer is expecting 100% and if you can only give 10% stay off.

mumof3now2 · 03/01/2023 15:14

Mentalpiece · 03/01/2023 14:53

I always used to go to work with a cold, I still would.
I think like many here, it's how you were brought up. Unless you presented yourself to my mum with a leg hanging off and my head was on the verge of detaching itself then i went to school.
Even in that scenario, she would probably have stuck it back on with a plaster and sent me on our merry way with her sympathy meter barely flickering.

I am this parent because it's how I was raised!

YellowAndGreenToBeSeen · 03/01/2023 15:18

I have covid and feel shocking. No way I could go in to work today.

whataboutsecondbreakfast · 03/01/2023 15:19

I'm self-employed so unless I'm vomiting or unable to get out of bed, I go to work.

But I work alone and never really interact with people so it's not the really the same as if I worked in an office or with a anyone vulnerable.

I was also raised to never have a day off sick.

Whatdoyouthinkno · 03/01/2023 15:20

If it genuinely is just a mild cold then of course you should continue life as normal, colds are just a general part of life and it can’t stop every time you have one. If it’s something more serious like covid/flu and you’re basically unable to move, have a temperature or anything along those lines then you should stay at home.

Squamata · 03/01/2023 15:24

Depends really! Some jobs you can muddle through on slow mode, some you can't. Sometimes it's better to rest up and get better than spend a month being sub-par, or spreading a bug around that means the whole team is off.

I was raised to never take a day off but tbh I do sometimes if I'm just run down with a bug. Employers won't come to your bloody funeral, will they?

VioletCharlotte · 03/01/2023 15:27

If I had a headache, but if a sore throat, blocked up nose, then I would take paracetamol and go to work.

But if I was coughing and sneezing and had a temperature like I did last week, then it's not fair on others to go in.

RaininSummer · 03/01/2023 15:29

I am off today with a whole raft of horrible fluey symptoms. Biggest one is the non stop cough (along with peeing myself a lot in coughing fits). I feel oddly guilty about work but I know I couldn't do my job or even get there as very weak and exhausted from coughing all night. Definitely don't want to spread it but also want to get rid of it rather than dragging it out. Chest is making odd noises now too. There are so many bugs about and I do think we should stay away unless it really is just a light cold.

BenCoopersSupportWren · 03/01/2023 15:32

LittleDisaster · 03/01/2023 14:47

I'm going to say the vast majority of people still can't wfh. If you live in a nice MC bubble it might seem like the norm, but it's not for most people.

There was a thread on here the other day about stereotypes of the working class that annoy you and this is one...that only MC people do jobs that can involve WFH.

I'm fortunate to work in a job with hybrid working so I could swap my office days around to WFH as needed - despite being WC 😉 - if I were full of cold but well enough to work. For me it's the headache that floors me, that awful fuzzy-headed, stuffed-with-wet-cotton-wool feeling that makes focusing on a screen heavy going and sometimes makes my vision go a bit screwy, so if I get to that point I will ring in sick / log off early, as I'd just end up making mistakes and being unproductive anyway.

NeverHadANickname · 03/01/2023 15:33

I always work if I am able but I used to get comments in my office job about brining sickness into the office and if you are sick you shouldn't be in to pass it around.

LimitIsUp · 03/01/2023 15:34

I think go in with a cold but consider others and wear a face mask, wash hands regularly and don't cough and splutter over your colleagues

Spudlet · 03/01/2023 15:35

I’m a sports massage therapist so a physical job, and one that also involves being in close contact with people. Some of my clients are also clinically vulnerable. So while I will push on through a mild sniffle, once it gets to a certain point I really have to cancel and suck up the loss of income. It is rubbish, but I don’t want to make my clients unwell. I also encourage clients to cancel if they fee unwell as I don’t want to catch their germs!

When I had an office job I would push through a bit more, but I do believe that once you get to a certain point t you’re better off taking a couple of days to rest and recover properly. I remember years ago we had a horrible cold/flu-like big going around where I worked and people kept pushing themselves to come in before they were better then needing more time off - as well as giving it to all the rest of us! I ended up being off for more than a week with a chest infection as a result and have needed an inhaler on occasion since, when it’s extremely cold or when I’ve had another nasty cold. If that office had had a bit less of a gung ho push through it all culture, we might have avoided a lot of the disruption.

MrsMurphyIWish · 03/01/2023 15:36

Bobbybobbins · 03/01/2023 12:46

I think attitudes have changed a bit post covid.

I'm a teacher and would go in for eg sniffles, headache, sore throat but not if I was coughing everywhere or had a temperature.

I’m a teacher and Covid policies were abandoned long ago when government advice changed. If we’re “well enough” to teach then we’re in which obviously means dragging yourself in covid and all!

Hidingawaytoday · 03/01/2023 15:41

I was brought up to go in unless you were physically unable to - I have very good sick pay but hardly take any time off sick. Nowadays, with hybrid working, I'll wfh if I have a cold - not because I can't go in or because I'm unwilling to, but because it's not fair to spread my germs. If I couldn't wfh or there's a reason I need to be in the office, I'd go in.

gamerchick · 03/01/2023 15:41

No sick pay here. If I'm able to go in then I do.

roarfeckingroarr · 03/01/2023 16:40

If I'm unwell I WFH. If I'm about to expire I might take a half day. But then the stars have to align or free drinks be put on at work for me to go to the office these days.

Dryandirriatble · 03/01/2023 16:43

MrsMurphyIWish · 03/01/2023 15:36

I’m a teacher and Covid policies were abandoned long ago when government advice changed. If we’re “well enough” to teach then we’re in which obviously means dragging yourself in covid and all!

Show quote history

Surely if you're well enough, there's no "dragging"?

rosydreams · 03/01/2023 16:45

work only stops when you cant stand

1001Daffodils · 03/01/2023 16:52

LittleDisaster · 03/01/2023 14:47

I'm going to say the vast majority of people still can't wfh. If you live in a nice MC bubble it might seem like the norm, but it's not for most people.

I don't live in a MC bubble - but I do have a job that allows WFH. My husband WFH on a minimum wage contract, how the fuck is that MC?

Whereas my friend's who are distinctly MC with cash to spare for holidays/hobbies couldn't possibly work from home because they're doctors/teachers etc.

Don't be so sodding ridiculous!

tiggergoesbounce · 03/01/2023 17:08

I was brought up, you are "up and at em". Unless you're really unable to, you go in. And i mean full on cant get out of bed.

Im not sure it's a society to be proud of that the ill have to drag themselves into work for fear of not getting paid, pretty sad times really.

Season0fTheWitch · 03/01/2023 17:13

If you can take the day off, do so. No one gets medals for going to work ill even if it's just a cold. Especially in a public facing role, I wouldn't want to pass on illness to potentially unwell people. I have always made sure to use up my allocated sick leave in jobs

That doesn't mean I lie in bed if I get a cold and pretend I'm on my death bed. I carry on WFH if I can or I get done what I can and use the time wisely.

Fizbosshoes · 03/01/2023 17:55

I'm also a teacher, so my absence tends to fuck up someone else's day and mean my classes do fuck all.

I'm guessing the idea of not wanting to let people /clients/students down or leave colleagues stretched is the reason that most people (in any job) would go to work when feeling under par.

For me I think it would depend, colds can vary in severity. If feeling really unwell, blocked up, sneezing, coughing etc I would probably take a day off and would keep my DC off school. If its a sore throat and feeling sniffly but otherwise OK, go to work/school.

I have only had about 5 bad colds in my adult life, so have barely had any sick days.
I can sometimes wfh but it has to be planned ahead, so I couldn't call on the day and say I would wfh.

Fizbosshoes · 03/01/2023 17:56

I'm also a teacher, so my absence tends to fuck up someone else's day and mean my classes do fuck all.

I'm guessing the idea of not wanting to let people /clients/students down or leave colleagues stretched is the reason that most people (in any job) would go to work when feeling under par.

For me I think it would depend, colds can vary in severity. If feeling really unwell, blocked up, sneezing, coughing etc I would probably take a day off and would keep my DC off school. If its a sore throat and feeling sniffly but otherwise OK, go to work/school.

I have only had about 5 bad colds in my adult life, so have barely had any sick days.
I can sometimes wfh but it has to be planned ahead, so I couldn't call on the day and say I would wfh.