MILLENNIALS AND GEN Z ARE MORE LIKELY TO CALL IN SICK TO WORK

Millennials are the most likely age group to call in sick to work, while Baby Boomers are the most likely to work through an illness, according to a new survey.

The research, which surveyed 2000 US workers, revealed that 45 per cent of Millennials had no problem calling in sick to work while 47 per cent of Baby Boomers would work despite being under the weather.

Gen Z were the next most likely to call in sick with 36 per cent reaching for the phone, while on the flip side, 30 per cent of Gen Xers would soldier on through their sickness.

Despite that, nearly half of those surveyed said they felt bad when they called in sick, with only 32 per cent saying they don’t feel guilty at all. And 41 per cent of respondents said they would call in sick the moment they started to feel unwell.

Some people coped with their illnesses better than others as well.

Around 35% said they tend to complain a lot when they get sick, while 45 per cent said they didn’t complain much.

The survey, conducted by OnePoll for cold and allergy brand Zicam, also found 40 per cent were reactive about their health pre-pandemic – only doing something about it when they didn’t feel well – compared with 32 per cent who were proactive, trying to treat symptoms early and take preventive measures to try to avoid getting sick.

However, the pandemic changed that significantly. Now, 43 per cent say they are proactive about their health with 34 per cent reactive.

More than three in five (64 per cent) are more likely to cancel plans now than before the pandemic if they feel themselves getting sick. Meanwhile 60 per cent feel bad about canceling their personal plans.

Samantha Ibrahim