These days, the world of work is more flexible than ever. The growth of cloud technology has created a world where employees can stay connected to the office, crucial tools, and peers wherever they are. This means even if your team members can’t physically visit the workplace, they can still complete essential tasks and remain productive.
Unfortunately, the ability to work from home can also make it difficult for employees to determine when they should take a day off. When staff members are unwell, they may be tempted to log into accounts remotely and tackle everyday tasks from their homes.
Encouraging your staff to work remotely when they’re unwell might not be the right approach. Here’s what to consider when deciding if employees should work when sick.
As with most things in today’s evolving world, determining whether your employee needs an entire day off or not depends heavily on the situation. In some cases, when workloads are light and employees have subtle symptoms, working from home can be a good option.
For instance, if your team member is recovering from a broken leg but functioning well from a cognitive perspective, working from home reduces the stress of trying to get into the office each day and can help speed up recovery. However, some situations can make working from home difficult or even impossible.
If an employee is suffering from something like the flu, the priority should be getting well so they can return after they are fully recovered. Trying to return to work too quickly is not healthy and may result in more mistakes if they struggle to deliver a consistent level of customer support. Customers may not enjoy trying to communicate with someone who is constantly sneezing or coughing on the phone.
Trying to avoid the disruption of your employee taking a sick day isn’t worth putting your customer service standards and satisfaction levels at risk. It could also mean your employees end up pushing themselves too far and burning out, which increases the risk of further absenteeism.
Because the circumstances of a day “out sick” can differ for every employee, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to determining whether it’s better to work from home or rest. In many circumstances, employees should be able to decide whether they’re well enough to work. However, if your team members struggle to disconnect from the office, they may need extra encouragement to take time off when needed.
Employees and supervisors or managers can customize remote workdays for people feeling under the weather. For instance, an agent with a cough might be assigned to respond to customer messages rather than answer the phone and work fewer hours than their colleagues. To ensure you have the right strategies in place:
The world of remote work can make it difficult for employees and employers to determine when a day away from work is the best option. Working with your team to ensure you handle sickness correctly should benefit both you and your workforce.
*Please review your HR policies before making any decisions regarding advice to employees on when they should or not work.