Yes absenteeism at work has increased in the public and private sectors in recent years, revealed two studies. However, this issue masks a reality that runs counter to this trend. If the work stoppages in the year are up, not all employees take them. This less known data is revealed by one of the two studies, namely the Ifop survey for Malakoff Médéric. 19% of private sector employees who have taken sick leave prescribed by their doctor in the twelve months preceding the survey do not comply with it. Among these employees, the majority completely refuse it in front of their doctor and 28% accept it initially before returning to work. “In total, 7% of the stops were not taken in full, for example a five-day stoppage for which you return to work on the third day. And 12% of the stops were not taken at all”, specifies to FranceTVinfo, Anne-Sophie Godon, director of innovation and studies at Malakoff Médéric. “The main case is when the employee refuses in front of his doctor. Otherwise, he takes his sick leave but leaves it on the corner of the table and goes to work anyway”.
Awareness of health risks
Why this renunciation? The reasons given are diverse: for 48%, it is “not in (their) habit to let go” (48%), for others it is the overload of work on their return (29%), which dissuades or the fear of “feeling constrained by the hierarchy” (22%). However, the employees concerned say they are aware not only of the drop in productivity at work that this refusal can generate. Above all, one out of two employees recognizes the negative impact that this non-monitoring of sick leave has on their health in the medium or long term.
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