In 2021, British workers took some of the fewest sick days in the developed world, with employment experts putting this down to poor sick pay (as little as 19% of the average UK salary is covered). This may explain what has become a familiar sight in the workplace: a video call with someone who is clearly unwell. According to the government, we should all be “living with Covid”. But should we be working with it, too? I asked Alison Collins, an academic whose research explores sickness and presenteeism.
Is it possible that the reason Brits have such low rates of absence from sickness is because – plot twist! – we’re super healthy?
Maybe. Though it could also be that people are taking less time off because they can work from home while ill.
