{
  "id": 7686562,
  "title": "Do you feel guilty when calling in sick at work? This might be why...",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/do-you-feel-guilty-when-calling-in-sick-at-work-this-might-be-why-7686562",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-15T23:40:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "BBC Business",
    "slug": "bbc-business",
    "url": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce8e70x3pjzo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Do you ever feel guilty about calling in sick to work when you're feeling unwell? According to research, a significant portion of individuals in the UK choose to go to work even when they are sick. This phenomenon, known as presenteeism, is influenced by various factors that differ among generations and workplace cultures.\n\nProf Sir Cary Cooper, a leading psychologist on workplace wellbeing, notes that younger workers are more likely to work even when unwell, with data from the Office for National Statistics supporting this trend. Younger workers, aged 16 to 24, took an average of 2.4 days off sick compared to the 6.2 days taken by workers aged 50 to 64.\n\nSir Cary suggests that younger workers may have higher expectations regarding how employers should treat them and prioritize their wellbeing. Older generations may have been more willing to endure work-related challenges, but this doesn't necessarily make it a healthy approach.\n\nWork centrality, or the extent to which work is tied to an individual's identity, also plays a role in someone's approach to sickness absence. Those who strongly identify with their work feel a desire to maintain their presence, even when sick. This is particularly true for those in caring professions, who may fear being perceived as weak or lazy if they take time off.\n\nWorkplace culture and behavior significantly impact an individual's willingness to take time off sick. When teams are stretched and there is little or no coverage, employees are aware that their absence will increase the workload for their colleagues. In some toxic work environments, there is a \"carry-on\" culture that encourages employees to continue working despite feeling unwell, as such organizations prioritize productivity over health and wellbeing.\n\nPsychologist Dr Tara Quinn-Cirillo highlights the role of guilt and shame in a toxic workplace that prioritizes productivity over health. A culture that encourages employees to continue working when they should be resting can lead to a sense of guilt and fear of judgement when taking legitimate sick days.\n\nUltimately, deciding whether to go to work when feeling unwell is not always straightforward. For physical illness, there are well-established guidelines - such as staying home for 48 hours after vomiting and 24 hours after fever. When it comes to coughs and colds, the etiquette has shifted since the Covid pandemic, with many considering it polite to work from home if feeling unwell. However, Dr Quinn-Cirillo emphasizes that mental health should be treated with the same importance as physical health, and if someone is unable to work due to mental health concerns, they should be allowed to take time off.",
  "summary": "As many as half of people report working when sick. The reasons for this are complex, experts say.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "BBC Health",
        "title": "Do you feel guilty when calling in sick at work? This might be why...",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/do-you-feel-guilty-when-calling-in-sick-at-work-this-might-be-why",
        "published": "2026-09-15T23:40:07.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}