If you're off with sick, is it crass to flood SM with pictures of what you're up to?

[MakeMineALarge1]

Just that really.

I work in a place that currently has a high incidents of stress and we have up to 20 people off with work related stress.

Now I get going for walks, out for lunch etc, can be great for you, but is it crass to put pictures on of all your weekends away, decorating your house and nights out?

You should ask your manager why their continuity plan involves "shit on the staff who can still work" instead of having an actual, solid contingency in place that doesn't fuck everyone else over. Not blame the person off sick for the increased workload.

Well yes as I have stated I make a point of not increasing the workload for my team. But unfortunately the work still needs to be done. If the person chose to leave (not saying they should, simply highlighting the difference) we would replace them, but we would not do that while someone is off sick as we assume they will return. We do employ temps but the budget will only cover that for a short period.

And how on earth are they supposed to pay for cover when they are still paying the person off sick full pay? My employer is actually pretty fantastic, hence the full sick pay for a minimum of 6 months, but there is only so much wiggle room in the budget.

Sickness is not a new concept and it is something employers should consider when setting out their pay policies and their sickness policies etc. They should have contingency plans and funds in place for when employers are off sick. It is absolutely not the fault of the unwell employee if the employers don’t have effective contingency plans in place which don’t simply involve putting an increased workload on their other employees.

Ha ha ha - tell that to my employer (NHS). What employers ‘should’ have in place and what they actually do are 2 completely different things - in the real world employees who are off sick for long periods of time simply get their work moved to other staff members (who understandably don’t want photos of their ‘sick’ colleague necking cocktails)

@SirChenjins

Ha ha ha - tell that to my employer (NHS). What employers ‘should’ have in place and what they actually do are 2 completely different things - in the real world employees who are off sick for long periods of time simply get their work moved to other staff members (who understandably don’t want photos of their ‘sick’ colleague necking cocktails)

Yes, it gave me a good laugh too.

(Also NHS)

@MolkosTeenageAngst

And how on earth are they supposed to pay for cover when they are still paying the person off sick full pay? My employer is actually pretty fantastic, hence the full sick pay for a minimum of 6 months, but there is only so much wiggle room in the budget.

Sickness is not a new concept and it is something employers should consider when setting out their pay policies and their sickness policies etc. They should have contingency plans and funds in place for when employers are off sick. It is absolutely not the fault of the unwell employee if the employers don’t have effective contingency plans in place which don’t simply involve putting an increased workload on their other employees.

I would guess that is why some managers have suggested we only pay SSP. Plenty of money in the budget then.

Or we can continue to be decent employers but accept that there are drawbacks. Like most businesses, we are already covering covid related absences, including people staying home with isolating children. Of course, none of this can be helped and it isn’t the fault of anyone who is off but unfortunately the budget is limited and it’s not as easy as saying we’ll just plan better.

Anyone can get signed off for stress these days. If your that stressed about work why would you then post all your fun stuff on Facebook? It is taking the piss

if you are so against this person, you need to unfriend them

@JaniieJones

'For some people this is literally their way of managing stress'

If you're well enough for 'big nights out until 3am' you are well enough to work.

Not really. A night out and letting off steam is a world apart from what most people have to do in their jobs. Being able to do one does not mean you are able to do the other. Reminds me of a comment I saw on MN where someone said that if you can post on MN, then you are well enough to work.

@drpet49

Anyone can get signed off for stress these days. If your that stressed about work why would you then post all your fun stuff on Facebook? It is taking the piss

So they are only allowed to post doom and gloom on their FB? Unfollow them if you don't like what you see.

It’s understanding the reasons for the stress

For some people a repetitive, unchallenging tasks, in an unstimulating environment can induce stress symptoms in the same way being overworked can so redecorating a house, going for a walk, going for a weekend away or doing a class can actually be the challenge and sense of purpose they need to heal. It’s their cure in the same way someone burnout needs to veg out in front of a TV and sleep for 12hrs a night for a week.

Think about it, we think it’s cruel to keep dogs in a crate without enrichment but for some individuals work is like that crate.

As an aside. I am a carer. My days are pretty repetitive, isolating and exhausting. I’m really suffering from burnout (from the physicals side) but also being completely unchallenged, bored to fuckery and not being stimulated intellectually or socially.

You know what’s working? Volunteering. Working for free is my medicine. Learning a new hobby is my medicine. I’m am slowly starting to feel fewer stress related symptoms by doing more stuff just more for my brain iyswim.

@SirChenjins

Ha ha ha - tell that to my employer (NHS). What employers ‘should’ have in place and what they actually do are 2 completely different things - in the real world employees who are off sick for long periods of time simply get their work moved to other staff members (who understandably don’t want photos of their ‘sick’ colleague necking cocktails)

I understand that but it is still not the fault of individual employees who are signed off. It is pointless and unfair to put the blame into individual employees and energy would be better spent getting annoyed at the people who make the policies and speaking to your union, become involved in campaigning to change the policies that are unfair, ensure you’re canvassing for the political parties who will invest in the NHS around election time etc. Targeting anger or frustration with the way the NHS works towards individual employees who are signed off is not helpful and is never going to change the situation.

It's crass at any old time, to be addicted to posting your life style ,and personal stuff on social media all the time.

yes I think it is crass - but not illegal - I think there have been some tribunal cases that have mentioned it .

I had a similar case at work who accused the company of un necessary stress for ONE comment and then went on sick leave and raised a personal grievance for the one comment . But was then seen in every local pub having a jolly old time . It certainly is annoying .

@XenoBitch

really ? Gosh I must have been a wicked mother then because if my children were ill enough to be off school they were not allowed to play computer games or go out to play .

My dad had an extremely hard job and was out in all weathers and worked from 5am in the morning and I NEVER remember him having a day off sick .
I cant think of an illness where you would be off but ok to go out to a nightclub until 3am

please enlighten me .

'So they are only allowed to post doom and gloom on their FB? Unfollow them if you don't like what you see.'

It's hardly the point is it. Even without sm I had previous colleagues pitching up at Christmas night out whilst in the midst of longterm sick leave.

'really ? Gosh I must have been a wicked mother then because if my children were ill enough to be off school they were not allowed to play computer games or go out to play'

Exactly. Wonder how many parents would think this was ok I mean it's all about what's good for mh isn't it?!

My dad had an extremely hard job and was out in all weathers and worked from 5am in the morning and I NEVER remember him having a day off sick

My dad used to start at 3am in the morning and he never had a day off but why would anyone give a shit? If the employees is off work then they are free to do with their free time what they wish, how quickly the British would let their employers rule their life

@SirChenjins

Ha ha ha - tell that to my employer (NHS). What employers ‘should’ have in place and what they actually do are 2 completely different things - in the real world employees who are off sick for long periods of time simply get their work moved to other staff members (who understandably don’t want photos of their ‘sick’ colleague necking cocktails)

Quite. Private sector too. I've covered people on sick leave for mental health reasons 3 times, for periods ranging from 2-7 months. Each time the sick note has been rolling, so signed off 2-3 weeks at a time and only told the morning they were due back that they had been signed for a further period of time. No cover can be arranged under those circumstances, I had to suck up the extra work.

I didn't resent them being off (well, maybe the 7 month one) but I was glad I couldn't see their SM as it was not fun trying to cover both their work and mine.

[quote Unsure33]@XenoBitch

really ? Gosh I must have been a wicked mother then because if my children were ill enough to be off school they were not allowed to play computer games or go out to play .

My dad had an extremely hard job and was out in all weathers and worked from 5am in the morning and I NEVER remember him having a day off sick .
I cant think of an illness where you would be off but ok to go out to a nightclub until 3am

please enlighten me .[/quote]
What’s your Dad got to do with anything? So because you personally know one man who never had a day off does that mean anybody signed off long term with cancer, stress, a bad back, long covid etc should just pull themselves together? My parents have never had flu but that doesn’t mean I don’t think it exists!

If I'm off work and unwell I feel so guilty about being sick

'So they are only allowed to post doom and gloom on their FB?

It's not a zero sum choice.

We employ tact every day. There are any number of things that we're entitled and right to enjoy, but for which we choose our audience. There are any number of things that we're allowed to think, opinions to have, but we're selective about when and how we voice them.

This subject is the same in my opinion. It's absolutely fine and good to do what you're capable of doing, if it helps. But choose your audience. If your colleagues are still at work, then posting duck face poses on the holiday that they are unable to have because they're at work (and you normally would be) is tactless. Just ordinary 'common or garden, doesn't have to about sickness' - style tactless.

Do what you need to do, share what is reasonable, but don't rub their noses in it. It's not hard.

How do you know what your colleagues are posting? Why do you even want to be able to follow their SM accounts? Seriously I don't have any of my colleagues as "friends" or "follow" any of them why would I? If your not their friend irl why have them as "friends" on facebook, unless it's just to be nosey and judgy.

@SmellyLikeABlewBooHoo

I think the wise solution, if you must post, is to filter out colleagues, employers, etc and only post for people you trust/friends and family.

I agree.

I don't understand the compulsion to share so much of one's private life with all and sundry.

But I also think anyone who feels aggrieved by a colleague who's on sick leave because of an MH issue trying to have some semblance of a normal life is a bit of an arse, frankly. Going out, being active, doing stuff that's productive can be very therapeutic and help recovery.

Staying indoors and isolating oneself is not going to help recovery from stress and is likely to lead to depression. (I speak from first-hand experience.)

I love my MIL dearly but I think she's a bit daft at the moment, she fell and banged her head 8 weeks ago, her doctor said she's fine to go back and yet she's asked for sick notes repeatedly, which is fine but then she's also been to 2 parties and a wedding with people from work. I just wish she would be careful.

'We employ tact every day. There are any number of things that we're entitled and right to enjoy, but for which we choose our audience. There are any number of things that we're allowed to think, opinions to have, but we're selective about when and how we voice them.'

Absolutely this.

'How do you know what your colleagues are posting? Why do you even want to be able to follow their SM accounts? '

Oh fgs there's all kinds of group chats y'know. Must everyone cut themselves off from sm in case they are faced with someone's fun and partying whilst off sick 🙄.

It's definitely the social media bit that is crass, not the actual activity. There are plenty of ways to share news and photos with close family and friends only e.g whatsapp groups, there is no need to share your every movement with hundreds of acquaintances on Facebook.