What the employer should do on National Sickie Day

Have you heard of National Sickie Day? 

Employment law firm ELAS Group first discovered this day in 2011, when it estimated up to 350,000 employees would call in sick on the first Monday in February, which happens to be today (6 February 2023). 

What can you do as an employer, if your employee calls in sick? 

Can you trust they are being genuine or are they simply celebrating National Sickie Day? Read on to find out.

All jokes aside, if employees do report themselves as absent today, employers should be careful not to dismiss this as disingenuous. 

As with any other day, the employer should inquire as to the reasons for their absence in the usual manner and follow absence management procedures.  Rather than seeing National Sickie Day as a gimmick, we would encourage employers to take the opportunity to evaluate what may be causing employee absence and consider what the business can do to improve attendance and well-being amongst staff.

The reason for the poor absence

High absence levels are often linked to a lack of employee engagement, low morale and retention issues. Poor attendance can mask underlying mental health problems, as employees may feel more comfortable saying they have a cold or a headache for example, when actually the absence is mental-health related. 

To combat this, employers should take steps to promote a positive perception of mental health at work by:

• encouraging staff to speak to their line managers
• reminding staff that poor mental health is not a sign of weakness
• raising awareness of mental health issues

We understand that having conversations about mental health can be difficult, and to assist we have developed training for managers to tackle these scenarios. You can find out more information here.

National Sickie Day also provides an opportunity for employers to reflect upon existing absence and well-being policies and may be a good time to remind employees of any existing support that is already in place. 

Remember though, that being sensitive towards physical and mental health issues is not something that should be limited to one day only. Employees who feel supported and understood by their managers and colleagues are more likely to stay at work or return after a period of absence, which in turn can help to reduce long-term absences and improve well-being.