Surprising Statistics: The Workers Who Keep Working Even When Sick
Women, teachers, and public sector employees are among those who continue to work even when they're ill. What motivates people to go to work when they're sick, and in which professions is this phenomenon most common?
(Photo: shutterstock)Do you also go to work while you're sick? A new comprehensive study conducted by the Taub Center reveals a concerning picture: most employees in Israel go to work when they're ill. According to the study, about 61% of employees reported going to work despite being sick, which is significantly higher than the average in other countries. For example, in the European Union, the work attendance rate during sick days is 42%.
Researcher Chaim Bleich conducted the study based on data from the Social Survey of the Central Bureau of Statistics, focusing on employed individuals aged 25-64 - about 3,800 respondents. Eight percent of them reported not being ill during the year. Thirty-one percent reported being ill but not going to work sick, and, as mentioned, 61% reported going to work sick at least once during the year. The data analyzed focused on employees who were ill during the year (excluding employees who were not ill), and those working from home were not included in this presenteeism phenomenon..
The research found that women (68%), employees in the education system (70%), public administration and defense workers (72%), as well as self-employed individuals (74%), are more likely to go to work sick. The reasons vary but are often related to traditional roles ascribed to each group. Women, for instance, often take on caregiving roles in the family, making it challenging for them to take sick days. In contrast, in the transportation and postal services sector, the presenteeism rate is very low at 57%.
Analyzing by sociological groups, it was found that *Haredi* and religious individuals are more prone to presenteeism, 76% and 72% respectively, compared to secular individuals, 65%, and traditional individuals, 64%-66%. In the Arab society, the presenteeism rate was particularly low - 54% among non-religious Arabs and 55% among religious Arabs. Among employees without an academic degree, a presenteeism rate of 66% was recorded compared to 63% among employees with an academic degree..
Other interesting data: Managers tend to be present more than regular employees - 70% compared to 64%. Also, employees inclined to work extra hours tend to be more present - 63% for employees with a full-time job of 35-49 hours a week compared to 72% of employees working more than 50 hours a week.
Why do we continue to work while sick?
The reasons are complex and varied. Researcher Bleich, who conducted the study, points to several key factors like economic pressure - the fear of losing income or affecting job security; social pressure - the common perception that hard work is a sign of success, leading many to feel obligated to go to work; fear of workload: difficulties in finding a replacement or the concern of burdening colleagues; and organizational culture: a competitive and results-focused work environment may encourage employees to come to work even when sick.
