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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be annoyed by what I call 'Workplace Martyrs'?

163 replies

SapphireSeptember · 03/12/2018 23:43

Because I'm feeling rather cross right now! The ones who come in coughing and spluttering everywhere (for fuck's sake, cover your mouth!) and looking like death warmed up. "Oh, it's only a cold!"
Reasons this annoy me...

  1. I work with two people with compromised immune systems. One of them is a WM herself, and made herself really ill by coming into work when she shouldn't have, resulting in a hospital stay. Still hasn't learnt, and still comes into work when she's really ill.
  2. Someone I know is currently undergoing radiotherapy. If I get a cold I have to avoid them, because I don't want to pass my germs on.
  3. Yes it's only a cold, but colds make me really ill for some reason, and I'm sick of taking time off work because they won't.
  4. Where we work requires both handling food and dealing with customers, a lot of whom are elderly. They don't want your germs either.
  5. This notion that they're the only reason the place is still running. I'm sure it won't fall down around our ears if you stay in bed for a couple of days. They also like to inform everyone that they haven't been off sick in ages, as though those of us who have are guilty of some moral failing.
  6. I blame this lot for my current cough/sore throat. Flanges! If I get properly ill I am NOT going to be happy. Angry
OP posts:
Sowhatifidosnore · 04/12/2018 07:40

It’s a cold. The world doesn’t stop for a cold. YABU.

Chocolatedeficitdisorder · 04/12/2018 07:43

I've just worked in a school with two weeks of a snivelling cold and chest infection. I had a absence in August with gallbladder pain and then had surgery to remove my gallbladder in October. I can't afford to trigger a warning with a third absence so I will go into work unless I physically can't stand up.

thecatsthecats · 04/12/2018 07:51

More flexible working options would definitely improve the situation.

I had an awful cold plus dizziness virus earlier in the year.

First day lost my voice entirely very suddenly, no other symptoms. Had some lieu acquired, so just took Friday afternoon off to read. I could have worked, but preferred not to, and couldn't say a word to anyone, and there was no urgent work.

Come the Monday, had progressed to dizziness so bad I couldn't stand. I worked from home half the day on something that couldn't wait. I definitely wasn't firing on all cylinders, and had to redo some of the work later. Ended the day wiped, throbbing head, the works.

Took the full Tuesday off. Felt better at the end.

Worked from home Weds, worked two short days in the office Thursday and Friday.

On the one hand just a cold. On the other, something that seriously knocked me out.

EtVoilaBrexit · 04/12/2018 07:53

YABU.
You have no idea for example if the people doing radiotherapy/compromised immune system haven’t been told they will get into trouble If they take too much time off.
You can’t just take time off each time you have a cold.

But you can improve your own immune system somyou arent so ill that you have to take time off (I’m assuming more ill than your relationship immuno compromised colleagues or thenine undergoing radiotherapy?) by looking after you diet (plenty of vegs, a few fruits and much less sugar usually does the trick)

BlimeyCalmDown · 04/12/2018 07:56

I've got a stinking cold and bad cough and work for NHS. I can't be off sick again until next June! Otherwise I'll get a formal letter from the manager as this is triggered is we are off 3 times within a 12mth period.... So I will have to go in to day and share these nasty germs :(
I'd rather not but have no choice the way I see it.

EtVoilaBrexit · 04/12/2018 07:57

I take time off for colds so as not to spread it around, and can work from home.
Is takingbtime off to sleep and recover from your cold or working from him to avoid spreading germs??

Tbh if you are ill, so ill you need time to rest and recover, I’m not sure how you could work a full day from home.... esp as not working means you will take even longer to recover and be well?

BlimeyCalmDown · 04/12/2018 08:00

P.S if anyone has any suggestions for getting rid of the cough I'd be grateful... I'm doing neti pot, first defence, Sambucol, lemsip, lemon/ginger honey drinks, lozenges, berrocca, sleeping sitting upright....

DameSquashalot · 04/12/2018 08:02

I took time off for a cold last year. I tried working from home, but I felt so ill. Headache, shivers, limb and back ache, chest pain and trouble staying awake. I felt dreadful. If it's just a sniffle and a cough then of course I wouldn't take time off.

ShotsFired · 04/12/2018 08:25

To be annoyed by what I call 'Workplace Martyrs'?

Alright there, Miranda's Mum!

Alicatz66 · 04/12/2018 08:26

Stock up on lemsips .. keep washing your hands and using hand gel .. cover your sneezes and coughs with a tissue and go to work ...

Patroclus · 04/12/2018 08:31

Yep, hate them, i worked in wetherspoons a few years ago, one guy inisisted on coming in with some horrendous cold and you could see it gradually pick off the work force until it got me. Idiotic in a catering environment.

Aaaahfuck · 04/12/2018 08:31

I'm interested in this attitude of no one takes time off for a cold attitude. I'm currently off work with what I would describe as a bad cold rather than flu. I genuinely could not work am I so unusual in being the only person who is effected this way sometimes? I do have a few other heath issues which perhaps effect my ability to recover but prior to these issues I've definitely had colds/viruses which have effected me like this. However I've also had sniffles /strep throat which I could work with.

LuvSmallDogs · 04/12/2018 08:32

I’ve only ever worked retail, and all the places I’ve worked, you’d be ridiculed for going sick with a cold - because if everyone did it the shop would hardly be open in winter. We’d spend all day in a cold shop (esp frozen/fresh workers) getting hacked all over by the public and handling their money - so in winter we were always sick. I remember once no one could make head nor tail of the tannoy announcements as the entire front end had lost their voices.

JaceLancs · 04/12/2018 08:33

It’s unavoidable with most workplaces absence policies - having a cold even a heavy one would not be considered worthy of time off where I work
I’ve just compiled this years absence records for my team who between them had 5 days off (less than one day per person) I’ve been criticised by HR for not addressing this and not carrying out back to work interviews for single day absences!

ohreallyohreallyoh · 04/12/2018 08:33

Colds last on average about 14 days from start to finish. Even if you were to just take the mid point off you're still looking at several days, potentially several times a year. It's not workable for the majority of work places, is it?

Ofchris · 04/12/2018 08:33

I’m contemplating this myself as my sore throat has developed into a full blown cold this morning. I’m lucky that I can work from home so I’ll stay at home today and tomorrow but will have to go in Thursday for a meeting. So I’ll be one of those martyrs then...

WeirdAndPissedOff · 04/12/2018 08:34

Not RTFT, but surely if you take time off for a cold you'd spend several weeks a year off?
You catch multiple colds each year, all of which last around a week. Bad coughs last for up to 3-4 weeks, sometimes longer.

Even with the most understand manager and the best sickness policy, surely you can't have that much time off when you're capable of working? (Even if feeling rotten).

And as a pp said, usually by the time you're aware you have an illness you've probably already started to spread it around.

Notevenmyrealname · 04/12/2018 08:35

YANBU. Normally a cold is a bit much to stay off work, but if you’re working with food, there should be stricter guidelines. I don’t want someone coughing and spluttering all over my food before they serve it to me.

maggienolia · 04/12/2018 08:36

A lot of people simply can't afford to take time off with a cold or anything else.
We have care staff going to elderly people with colds - They have bills to pay and families to support.
The only way to tackle this is compulsory sick pay. Which is unlikely to happen.

Aaaahfuck · 04/12/2018 08:36

Lots of people are also saying they don't take time off because of absence policies in their work place. Perhaps this is the issue that policies don't reflect people's lives? I've worked places like this and people do work while too ill because of these policies.

Satsumaeater · 04/12/2018 08:40

You can’t take days off work because of a cold

It depends on the severity of the cold, obviously. A little sniffle, no.

If you ache all over and need to stay in bed, yes. Some colds can be like flu.

I couldn't use AL for illness in my workplace as I have to give 2 weeks' notice to take it. But we only get 5 days sick pay and then we're onto SSP. Fortunately I can work from home if I am feeling under the weather. It's difficult if you have a job where you have to be present - eg retail or schools, to name two obvious examples.

Monty27 · 04/12/2018 08:43

Make you right OP.
Catching a cold can lead to serious illnesses for some people.
Now just keep your germs to yourself.
Cheers Hmm

Madeline88 · 04/12/2018 08:46

Yes my boss and it’s disgusting listening to him spluttering next to me when he should be at home. Also workplace martyrs who’s life is work which impacts you in other ways.

Patroclus · 04/12/2018 08:56

I think people react differently to colds as well. Headaches, S&D and whatever dont touch me but colds can floor me with full on fever and wishing I was dead.

Nothisispatrick · 04/12/2018 08:58

Surely colds have different degrees of severity.

Otherwise I'll get a formal letter from the manager as this is triggered is we are off 3 times within a 12mth period.... So I will have to go in to day and share these nasty germs

Genuine question, but so what if you get a letter? Does it result in some kind of disciplinary, or is it literally a standard letter expressing concern for so much absence?