I’m a massage therapist in a high end resort, and came down with a really bad flu since Sunday. Worst I ever had (not Covid.)
So obviously I can’t work like this, especially because it would be so easy to infect a guest if I’m massaging them. But they’re giving me such crap about it.
I just find it ridiculous that somehow I’m made to feel guilty about calling out. It’s not like I can play WoW either lol, can’t sit at the desk for long periods of time.
My department has four people in my position. We need 3 to run the shift. We can freely take as many paid days off as we want so long as we work it out amongst ourselves (within reason).
If someone is sick, we might be down to 2, which is stressful, but rare.
Edit: My boss gives no dooks how many days we take off, so long as we have some coverage.
I’m not made to feel guilty for taking a sick day(s). Yet I feel guilty all the same. It’s an absurd anxiety to have. I know I don’t get mad at my co-workers for it, so it’s ridiculous to assume they would for me.
That’s co-workers though. People I like. The business itself, nah. No guilt. I’m entitled to sick leave. I’m happy to use it. And the myriad other types of leave I get.
The way I see it, you could tell your coworkers to pound sand, or you could be extremely petty and start guilt tripping them over every trivial thing they do that isn’t 100% in the interests of the company until they shut up about you calling in once or twice.
It depends on the job, know your worth and all that. If everyone is replaceable at the drop of the hat they are going to guilt you a lot harder but if you have a skillset and experience that isn’t replaceable you shouldn’t let any workplace treat you like that.
You have nothing to feel bad/guilty about. Your focus now is to rest and recover. If your manager/colleagues have an issue with this then that’s their own problem. But if things are negative down the road, then consider finding something else.
I just got hauled in because I haven’t taken a day off in three years. (too busy and if I did I would just be overwhelmed with catching up for lost time)
back when i was in the Army, nearly all units i was in made it heck beyond heck to go on sick call. not sure if it remains that way for current active duty
A good manager would allow their staff to attend to life events and allow existing staff to not be under staffed by providing proper coverage.
What happens if the understaffed are overworked or you work while sick the situation can worsen. Then you have more of your staff calling out and the structure of your work culture is disrupted far more.
That is why they say management makes or breaks the majority of jobs out there.
Good managers give breathing space for their employees while bad managers run their employees into the ground.
Mom, where are my blue socks? I can’t find them.
Mom, I can’t find my art book.
Honey, do you know here I put my hat for work?
Meow, meowwwwww, meowwwww, prrrrrrrrr.
Oh no, wait, That’s Every.Single.Day whether I call out or not
I havent had a job yet where they complained about me calling off. But the caveat is that i rarely called off even when i was deathly sick, though that changed with covid. They know if i call off its really bad.
The last time I called out the conversation went something along the lines of:
“Hey, not coming in today. Sick.”
“K, feel better.”
The only jobs I’ve ever had where they cared if I called out were in hindsight terrible jobs. Experience working at a high end place is a definite positive on a resume, would see who else is hiring.
