Over half of Canadians have used sick leaves to avoid going to work when they were not actually sick, a new survey shows.
Conducted by Angus Reid on behalf of the management solutions firm Kronos Canada, the survey found that 54 percent of Canadian have called in sick when they weren’t actually sick.
Some of the most common reasons for taking sick leave while not sick include feeling stressed or burned out, needing to care for a sick child, having a heavy workload, and insufficient vacation days.
Some of the less common reasons cited include not having enough to do at work, going to sporting or entertainment events, bad weather, caring for a sick pet, or “simply having better things to do.”
Spiros Paleologos, vice president of operations with Kronos Canada, says the survey results show an “alarming trend” as these absences can cost employers.
“When lost productivity and other operational expenses tied to employee absences are considered, the cost of absenteeism can impact as much as one-third of overall payroll costs,” Paleologos said in a press release.
“Canadian organizations representing all sectors need to urgently adopt techniques to more effectively manage unplanned employee absences.”
Manitoba and Ontario were the provinces that had the highest percentage of people faking a sick leave, with 71 percent and 60 percent respectively. The percentage dropped to 49 percent in Quebec and 46 percent in British Columbia and Saskatchewan.
