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Original poster

Straw poll - WFH because you "don't want to pass it on"

38 replies

Dontpassiton · 11/10/2023 18:47

Can I take a quick straw poll to help settle a robust debate.

Is your company fine with you WFH if you were due in the office and you have a bit of a cold, and you "don't want to pass it around"

My company frowns on it a bit (going through a tricky time and has been more or less proved that being in the office is vastly improving comms) and says if you're too ill to be in but feel ok to WFH that's fine, but if you just have a sniffle you should go in if you're due in.

confirmed covid different, we need to stay away for 7 days.

My friend thinks this is absolutely barbaric and is surprised I think its fair enough. I say I bet they won't mind passing it around their mates in the pub at the weekend 😬

What does your workplace do?

OP posts:
LividGas · 11/10/2023 18:49

Teaching.

You go in unless you’re unconscious because it’s easier than setting cover and dealing with the aftermath.

I had someone call my boss from intensive care and I still felt guilty.

If you have covid you’re seen as ridiculous for testing. Can’t you come in anyway?

Legomania · 11/10/2023 18:54

I think (not that we've had comms on covid for about 18 months) that you can please yourself at my work.

Can't see why people bother staying home with a sniffle though, if you're literally talking a bit of a runny nose

Alwaysanotherwine · 11/10/2023 18:58

Anyone who cant work on site should be off sick not working from home

you’re either sick or ur well

we come in cold flu or covid

megletthesecond · 11/10/2023 19:00

We're able to work from home when under the weather. So much more civilised and fewer sick days for everyone.
I hate people spreading their germs around.

Youthinkyoureuniqueyourejustastatistic · 11/10/2023 19:00

I think it’s fair enough but only WFH for 7 days with covid is better than nothing BUT some people will still be positive then.

Original poster
Dontpassiton · 11/10/2023 19:01

Ooooh looks like I'm winning so far 🤣

OP posts:
Cazaletto · 11/10/2023 19:06

Yeah, be off sick or come to work. WFH for non-specific “being under the weather” is a skiver’s charter.

Got really fed up with some of my team listing their symptoms at me - I am not a doctor, I am not going to tell you if you should be at work or not. Being ill is fine but we don’t offer special half-arsed shifts for the sniffles.

ditalini · 11/10/2023 19:12

My job can be done entirely from home but coming into the office is good for morale, better for some client contacts etc.

I'd be pretty unimpressed if (in the context of our specific role and workplace) someone spread their germs about the place in the name of misplaced presenteeism.

Nottodaty · 11/10/2023 19:17

Depending on how sick - I can usually still WFH if just a cold. Last year had flu couldn’t even get out of bed so took time off sick. As a manager I would rather people take time off sick if required to recover - so that they fit and well.

I was in an all day meeting recently (around 40 people) one person came in with what looked like quite a bad cold. By the end of the day they looked very poorly and pale. Following week around 15 people have been off. If they had just WFH or taken a day sick it would have been better than to share the bug with us all!!

AgnesX · 11/10/2023 19:20

People dragging themselves in, wafting around being snot ridden lumps and generally as effective as a rock used to drive me nuts. Not least as they'd pass their germs on. Don't start me in the martyrdom.

Some people might take the mickey but generally if the work is there and needs to be done it doesn't matter where you are. If I have to go into the office they get my contracted hours and nothing more. If I'm WFH I'll maybe start earlier and finish a bit later.

BeeCucumber · 11/10/2023 19:22

New policy - WFH if you are feeling ill. Very sensible after Covid ripped through 20 people in an open plan office last month.

FeelingVeryUnwell · 11/10/2023 19:24

We are allowed to WFH if we are unwell. It lowers our sickness levels and reduces the amount of time we are actually unwell for too. I'm sure someone better than me will know the science behind why

DawsonWins · 11/10/2023 19:24

My issue here is the ‘confirmed covid’ when in most cases now, it takes about 3~5 days fir a LFT to be positive after the start if the symptoms.

hanahsaunt · 11/10/2023 19:30

We are very clear that if you wouldn't like to sit next to you with a cough/streaming nose etc then because you can work at home then you should work from home. There is no truck with presenteeism and all meetings can be moved online. If you have confirmed Covid then you have to WFH (if able, not if ill) because we have several immunosuppressed people for whom this would be an issue. We have a commited and conscientious workforce so not worried about skiving or shirking.

SilverGlitterBaubles · 11/10/2023 19:32

If you are a coughing, sneezing, sniffling mess then really you should not be working in the office or at home.

Original poster
Dontpassiton · 11/10/2023 19:34

Just to clarify, we're not talking about anyone needing to drag themselves in - my work is clear they don't want presenteeism

It's literally my friend thinks "I have a bit of a cold and feel fine but I'm WFH out of care for my colleagues absolutely not because I look for any excuse to avoid the office and will be in the pub on Friday so I'm not too concerned about others" is fine and my work is a load of shits because they frown on this - people WFH when they are absolutely fine.

OP posts:
EverythingYouDoIsaBalloon · 11/10/2023 19:36

Cazaletto · 11/10/2023 19:06

Yeah, be off sick or come to work. WFH for non-specific “being under the weather” is a skiver’s charter.

Got really fed up with some of my team listing their symptoms at me - I am not a doctor, I am not going to tell you if you should be at work or not. Being ill is fine but we don’t offer special half-arsed shifts for the sniffles.

I'm guessing you don't have any chronic conditions, and I hope for your staff's sake that they don't either.

For me being able to wfh spells the difference between being able to work full-time and not. It's really not a binary situation of too ill/not too ill to work.

Qilin · 11/10/2023 19:37

It would be nice that- if in jobs where work from home works fine - people could work from home if under the weather, where well enough to work but the effort of getting into work is feeling a tough step and avoiding unnecessary spreading of bugs to others is preferable.

This obviously isn't possibly in all jobs.

And it may need monitoring if you have an employee or two who takes advantage of the situation. So maybe work load, or expected hours/work need to be agreed through work policy.

If not well enough to manage the expected work load, then you're not well enough to work from home or office. So sick leave should be taken instead.

Topofthemountain · 11/10/2023 19:37

Expected to be in, sickness policy is shite so people never want to take time off.

RaininSummer · 11/10/2023 19:38

If I am snotting sneezing everywhere, I think my colleagues and customers would prefer me to work from home and phone them instead of breathing my germs all over them. I would also like them to do the same.

TeenLifeMum · 11/10/2023 19:39

I think it’s sensible for certain jobs. If you have a commute too that can impact. I might have a cold but feel up to work, however the 2 hour round trip might be too much. My work would rather I logged in from home.

It completely depends in the role and whether you can be effective from home. Nurse? Clearly no, but my manager role can definitely be done at home. I wouldn’t do that long term because face to face is important but not needed every week!

Wavescrashingonthebeach · 11/10/2023 19:40

We have worked from home since the pandemic and never gone back in. Customer service. Its a nightmare when we have new starters they expect them to just learn it all remotely, we have said 10000 times that we should at least come into the office once a month or something but its fell on deaf ears.

MollyMarples · 11/10/2023 19:42

This lack of concern for covid! The latest strain is vile.

My husband’s boss had it a couple of weeks ago, knowingly spread it to DH. He gave it to me, (pregnant) my mum, and our baby daughter. We were all VERY ill for weeks.

Please still take covid seriously.

AtmosAtmos · 11/10/2023 19:45

Cazaletto · 11/10/2023 19:06

Yeah, be off sick or come to work. WFH for non-specific “being under the weather” is a skiver’s charter.

Got really fed up with some of my team listing their symptoms at me - I am not a doctor, I am not going to tell you if you should be at work or not. Being ill is fine but we don’t offer special half-arsed shifts for the sniffles.

Is this your particular role or what you think about all workers? If someone is regularly stating they are ill but can wfh does the type of job you manage allow you to monitor how much work they do? If it does then I think this approach may be counter productive. If you have the same people off sick and wfh then manage those people.

I understand certain jobs like teaching feel obliged to go in when sick. I don’t think it’s virtuous though. I think it shows a failing system with not enough money for slack to allow people to be off sick.

Our whole job can be done WFH so we do if ill and management are happy. Going into the office and and interacting is good and learn from each other. WFH stops germs spreading. I also do a better job because I’ve not used energy commuting with a cold.

Bigminnie1 · 11/10/2023 19:49

Used to be a teacher- went in unless on death's door (apart from Covid).

Now work for an amazing company where we are told to work from home if we so much as have a sniffle and who are very supportive of mental health, ill health and well-being.

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