No I don’t. I work for a big corporation and I’m well aware that I’m just a number in their staff. Don’t feel bad. You need the time off. They’ll be fine without you.

No guilt or shame here. Sick is sick.

I did CBT - don't feel guilt or ashamed anymore. It's brill

As a manager, I've got absolutely no issue with people ringing in sick. You kind of plan for it by setting your team up so it can cope with a certain amount of 'shrinkage' i.e. holiday or sickness and still deliver what it needs to deliver.

If your manager's being a cunt about it, it probably means they didn't plan properly and they've lwft themselves short.

I used to be like this, but you should care about yourself not them, what they gonna think. You are replaceable and you are just a number on a sheet to them.

Your health is way more important than any job. Job is a job. Worst case you can always replace it. But health? - not a chance

Used to. But now? No. I feel great about calling in. If they're fucked without me there, then that's on them not me.

People need to call in sick when they are showing symptoms of sickness not going in and spreading germs. I'd rather be in work doing 2 people's work than beside someone that's coughing and sneezing over you.

In Ops case I get the guilt feeling. Your off now and you need to recover. Can you walk 10k without being in bits the next morning? Then your fit to work again. Otherwise why damage your body for a company.... Rest and recover lad.

All the time. In the catering industry its often joked about. About how you would be expected to show up for work even if you had broken a leg.

Once upon a time I had very bad diarrhea and so I rang in. Wtf kind of place wants a chef turning up with the skits lol? Well this boss was a particularly cuntish cunt who proceeded to ring me almost every hour on the hour to ask if I was well enough to come in yet! This place had a good reputation as a high end seafood restaurant but the owner was a cowboy with no experience in catering at all and was way out of his depth and juggling a cocaine addiction while injecting himself with steroids!!

A few weeks later came my moment when I finally had enough and very publicly in front of customers lost my temper with him. Told him a few honest truths about himself in my most colourful kitchen French and walked out with all the other chefs doing a conga behind me out the door lol

At the end of your life, when you look back at all the things you could have done better or should have tried harder on.
Not coming into work, when you’re sick won’t be on that list.

I’ve never once felt inconvenienced by a coworker ringing in sick, but I always feel super guilty ringing in too.

Try break that mindset OP! They’d replace us fast enough

Yes, same here. But please call, if you are sick you are sick

I used to but then I remembered they'd replace me before my coffin is even closed

I always do, but then I realize that it’s irrational to feel like that and the replies from my managers are always fairly sound. Always remember that you’re just a number in your company and also, is fearr an tsláinte ná na táinte

After losing a family member last year, the most important thing I learned was your health is your wealth.

No longer burning myself out for a company who couldn't give a shit. I'll punch the clock, do my work and get out.

I used to, but I shed it years ago. I matter to me, and so does my wellbeing.

Nope, zero guilt. If you are sick you are sick. If they don't want you anymore, they will remove your job. They are not your friends or family, it is a business relationship. No emotion.

I don’t feel guilt as such but more of a feeling that they’ll interrogate me or think I’m pulling a sickie

I used to be like that until 1 day I got my annual review where you might get a pay rise. I didn't get a pay rise and said to my supervisor that I hadn't missed a day in 3 years, and I was no longer worried about missing days. Rang in sick when I needed to from then on

I still have PTSD from all the years I worked retail and service where you'd be lectured and guilt tripped over it.

Thankfully I'm now in a job where it's just a simple "I'm not feeling well, I won't be in" "Grand, come in when you're better"

Just for perspective, I manage a team of 30 and when someone calls in sick I genuinely wish they feel better soon and once any urgent work is reallocated I don't think about it any further. I promise no one is there thinking you're slacking off or anything.

I'll also tell you what I tell my team. You're only irreplaceable within your own 4 walls so that should always be your priority. And that includes yourself!

Feel better soon OP!

Oh I'd be guilt ridden calling in sick.

We had to call our line manager before 08:30 and he'd just know that a call early in the morning would mean you'd be sick. Worst part was hearing the disappointment in his voice.

Now we just log into a web portal and the lack of personal interaction makes the whole process an absolute joy.

Same as you, lying on my back with a bulging disc pinching my sciatic nerve. Nearly a month now, can't wait to be able to walk again and feeling guilty about work.

Working shitty jobs in Leisureplex and DID have instilled that fear into me. I now work in the civil service and don’t really care! The only thing about sick leave for me is that I don’t want it to hold me back for future promotions or oppurtunities, but I will absolutely take the time if needed!

I used to, but I had a really good boss who told me my sick leave is my sick leave and if I don’t feel well enough to go in just call and look after myself.

At the end of the day you’re no good to anyone if you’re sick in the office, take the time you need, heal up, watch some Netflix and come back in feeling better

If it helps, I handed in my notice on Monday and called sick Tuesday. First time calling in since I started 18 months ago! In fairness, I've got a bad chest infection but still feel guilty.

Used to but no. All the recent layoffs everywhere have emphasised that we’re all just 1 cell on a spreadsheet and they’d lay you off tomorrow without a care. Enjoy your day(s) off.

Yes I do!! Let me guess, when you were a kid did your parents ALWAYS make you go to school?? Even if your head was hanging off... "In ya go, if you're still feeling sick in school you can come home" - but you actually never actually came home?? you braved it out for the day...

Your health is your wealth my friend.

Na fuck them, if I dropped dead, they'd probably have my job advertised the next day

Every time... pacing up and down the hall before making the call wondering can I maybe make it in after all.
It's immensely stupid though because of course your health is more important and you are entitled to your sick days, but still, they managed to drill it into you somehow. Wish I could be a nonchalant about as as so many in the comments seem to be.

When you're sick you're sick. The only thing that will get you better quickly is rest. Ergo a good employee takes sick leave when they need it.

You are just a number to them. If they needed to cut numbers, they wouldn't give you a second thought so why are you?

Rest up and I hope you feel better soon.

Manager here - don’t ever feel guilty about calling in sick. Never have I been angry at a staff member for calling in sick, I’m always just concerned with them getting themselves better. Have I been frustrated with staffing levels? Yes, absolutely - but that’s down to upper management leaving us short staffed and not filling gaps and never ever the person who’s calling in sicks fault!

I'm just over (well, maybe not quite over...) food poisoning that took me out at the knees for 2 days. Honestly, even now I'm sat up and on my laptop, I still couldn't "work" work. I'm just about able for some telly and a glass of water.

I don't really care what my massive multinational company thinks of my need to be off. My issue is that I only get a handful of sick days a year so I'm more likely to work when I'm ill, thus lowering my productivity.

I don't because my employer doesn't really care about me as an individual. I'd feel a bit bad if I had lots of work on that day and someone got lumped with it but if you're genuinely sick that's just the way it is.

As someone who recently took weeks off for back issues don't feel guilty! It is debilitating. I know it's built in to feel guilt but if you can't work you can't work. I focused on working with a doctor to reduce inflammation and a physio to get stronger and am so much better now for it. But I had to really wrestle with my feelings being off work so can emphasize

I felt guilty phoning the doctor yesterday. Thought I was wasting their time. Ended up needing a shed-load of meds and more than a couple of days off. Work are fabulous - there is never an issue - its a very positive environment and I try to filter down that positivity and caring approach to my own reports, including when they are unwell. Someone working at 100% for five days and off sick for five days is far more productive than someone working at 50% or less for ten days. And that doesn't even include the knock on effect of the sick person spreading their bugs to others in the team.

Yeah I’m the same. Never call in sick but always feel guilty when I have to! Makes no sense haha!

Eventually you will leave or you will get let go. Companies don't care about you. Put yourself first. Early 20s I was a company man above and beyond. Not a hope these days.

They don't pay me enough to feel bad. It's not my fault they are understaffed. So no, never feel bad, we need to normalise feeling OK to call in sick, we get paid for it anyway, so at the end of the day, we shouldn't worry at all, when sick, we should concentrate on getting better

Aw, I know what degenerative disc pain feels like.... and I hope you give yourself grace and love today, because you deserve it. xxx

I feel bad for my colleagues if they have extra work to do as a result. I don’t feel bad for the organisation whatsoever. If I have a doctors note for the week, you can be sure I take the full fucking week. None of this rushing back to work shite I see colleagues doing. Nobody gives a fuck. If you’re out sick 1 day, 1 week, 1 month… everyone just forgets in a week’s time anyway. If you try to stay productive while in pain and sick, well everyone forgets about that after a week too.

I used to feel so guilty about ringing in sick, to the point that I would start feeling really anxious when I was about to call. But, my current manager is genuinely the best supervisor I have ever had. Whether you're calling in sick, or you need to take leave suddenly, his philosophy is that no one is going to thank you for staying, the organisation has no loyalty to you, and so you should have no loyalty to the organisation, and make sure you're taking care of yourself.

Had to call in sick for the bones of a week there just before Christmas, it was the sickest I'd been in a while. No guilt, and I was not made to feel guilty either.

Nope, not in the slightest. If they didn’t need you anymore you’d be gone in the morning, and god forbid something happened to you they’d have your job listed within days. You owe them whatever’s in your contract and nothing else.

I used to be like this but then was made redundant from a company I bent my back over for and realised we truly are just a number

Yup. Companies have a habit of making you feel so guilty for being sick.

Yes I used to get severe anxiety calling in sick to my last workplace, I’d be praying when I rang that such a such person answered and hoping it wasn’t one of the arrogant ones, I used to be out sick for like 7+ days every month cause you’d to take 3 sick days together to be paid with a dr cert, place was toxic as hell im the same as yourself I have DDD and had to sit in seats that were lopsided and lumber supports sticking in your back all day long and the dealing with arrogant people 90% of the time called in sick I was fed up of the place, I’m currently in a job now for the last 6months and haven’t called sick once even when I was dying with that flu during Xmas time, I had to go home early 1 day due to stomach issues and when I rang to ask them it was no bothers at all head away home for yourself and let me know later on if your feeling better!!

I do. Massive anxiety making the call, what if they don't believe me (even though my reputation is otherwise!) Once it's done I can relax, but that 20 minutes before I make the call is awful!

Years ago when I was working in a more manual job nobody would ring in sick, ever, unless it was something that was serious enough to warrant a visit to hospital. Like a heart attack or broken bone. Cold or flu was not something that’d keep someone out. If they felt weak they’d be put at something less strenuous. Nobody I worked with back then seemed like they would have any problem with someone calling in sick, but it just wasn’t something that was done.

Then I moved to a more office based job, I still remember the 1st time I was ordered to go home because I looked like death. They slowly got me around to the way of thinking of taking sick days when I’m sick over a couple years. Because if I go into the office then I risk making everyone else sick. Still felt bad taking any sick day.

Now I work for a huge American company in Ireland, I now have no problem taking sick days if I’m sick and don’t feel the slightest bit of guilt as they are pricks.

I’m taking a sick day today. Am fucked with something like a flu. Very sore throat since yesterday morning, headache, eyes sore, coughing a lot, shoulders and lower back seem stiff and sore, sinuses blocked. No guilt whatsoever, because I’m genuinely fucked and haven’t moved out of bed since last night except for one trip to the toilet a few mins ago.

when working for an Irish company, this was a nightmare. They used a calculation system that if you reached a certain number on the scale, you got a disciplinary. I remember a colleague who was being treated for CANCER getting a verbal.

Now with an American company in the UK and get chastised if I go near any of them with sickness with one boss yelling at me (in front of everyone) to "go the fuck home!".. I'd been traumitised so much by the Irish bosses that I was showing up sick..

If it is genuine, there is no need to feel guilty.

They program us from birth with attendance stickers and gold stars to not miss days. Free yourself from corporate brainwashing and spend the day eating junk food in your underwear, it's the future our ancestors fought for!

I have so much anxiety about calling in sick because I know there are people who take the piss with it and I don’t want them to think I am one of those people. I am trying to change my mindset about this though because like other people have said, at the end of the day you’re just a number to them and they will be fine without me for a few days

I know the feeling, I took sick a couple of years ago which went on for a bit. My guilt was more about colleagues picking up the slack than anything else. However, when I got the return to work interview and was collared for only submitting weekly sick lines (I didn’t think I’d be off long and didn’t want to produce something silly like a 3 or 4 week sick lines) and the following couple of years of crappy work and squealing bosses, I wouldn’t give a rat’s ass anymore. If you’re properly sick, that’s why sick leave is there and with what you’ve described, you have a better reason than most!

No room here fir guilt or shame😊 if you're sick you're sick. Get well💓

i work with a few people in a small team so i feel bad that they have to carry the extra work for the day. but i do the same for them so its fine. Beyond them i couldn't care less.

I used to all the time before. Until I got into management and realised how bad other people were and how little others cared and got away without any consequences. So I don’t abuse it really but I have stopped caring about it. You are entitled to be sick. I also have degenerative disc and it is torture to be in work when it’s flaring. Honestly going into work when you feel that badly isn’t worth it for yourself and isn’t remembered. Coming from someone in management. If I see someone in work who is sick. I’m actually pretty annoyed they are there because you can spread the illness. People have children and reasons to avoid illnesses. Coming into work to sit next to a sick person is awful for everyone. For the sick person especially. We don’t look at you and think aww aren’t you great for coming in sick. I know that sounds harsh but it’s true. On the other hand I also recognise how difficult it can be if you’re an individual contributor and not part of a team where others can take on the extra work. But Even then you should be out sick when you’re sick!

I work in the public sector, I got very ill last February and returned to work in September. 3 months of this was unpaid. My colleagues I work with haven't spoken to me since. My manager also only communicates via email. Side note: I used to socialize with these people regularly outside of work, but when I got ill I didn't even receive a phone call from any of them to see if everything was ok. Do not feel guilty. If you're sick you're sick. And you have to my your health. Happy new year

Yes I always feel awful! Recently had a boss change and it helps though. He's very much of the "don't be a martyr and don't bring in germs to share" school of thought so it has been easier since he started.

i’ve been out with a leg injury for the past 8 weeks and feel so much anxiety over it, i get you, i don’t have any advice but i understand!

Nope, I don’t ring in sick too often so when I do there’s zero guilt. Usually cos there are others who use sick days like extra holiday days…

Yes, even though I know it should be OK

No, if I'm not going in I just text my manager. I don't use it for extra days off, only when I'm unwell, so why would I feel guilty?

I do feel guilty when I know that my work will be handed over to a colleague who is already up to their eyeballs as am I.

Obviously I don't care about the company

Good bit of stigma around calling in sick, I have zero issues however. Feck em, they’ll be grand without you for a few days!

I do if I have to call in Sick first thing in the morning and I have a morning lecture . It means potentially that students travel to college for a class with me and then there’s no class with me . That bothers me . Thanks fully it’s rare it happens , less than once a year

Haven't rang in sick in a very long time but so close this week. Probably the most depressed I've ever felt in years - Jan blues. Its a passing thing that'll be a distant memory next week (hopefully) but I don't know how people who live in constant depression keep going.

I used to feel horrible about it, and sometimes it still feels a bit awkward, but the older I get the more I just don’t care. If I’m sick I’m sick, it’s not my fault if the place is understaffed and I’m not going to be a whole lot of help anyway if I’m vomiting or feverish or whatever else

I usually do. I think its just the guilt of other people having to pick up the slack and be slightly inconvenienced.

But what I try to focus on are all the days where I decided to power through instead, and at the end of the day you know it really didn't matter if you were in or not. I also don't mind at all when a coworker calls in sick, so I'm sure none of them mind when I do either.

I'm talking about non-contagious sick though or work from home. You absolutely should call out sick if you have a cold or something and need to go in to an office etc. I feel like since covid it's actually pretty frowned upon to come in to work sick.

I usually call sick because I'm sick so no guilty feelings there. It's great to live in a country with good workers rights and be able to call in sick without problem. So I wouldn't like to abuse this right.

Absolutely not. Company I work for has just fucked everyone over with the new rostering system recently. I used to have a block of four days work and then three days off (30 hour contract). Now I have 5 shifts per week and my next consecutive 2 days off are at the end of the month.

I now have zero loyalty after 4.5 years with the company.

Only when my general anxiety is heightened. 

Sick is sick. I really wouldn't want anyone I know to suffer through it so why on earth should I feel differently about myself? Not once, even when it's directly impacted me have I resented someone not being able to come in. 

Ah Degenerative Disc Desease. The gift that keeps on giving.

L4-L5, L5-S1 are completely gone on mine. L3-L4 is now on his way out.

Fun times ahead!

No, never

I started a job in one of the biggest retail supermarkets in Ireland there 6 weeks ago & then come Christmas I was crippled with the flu which then turned into strep throat. Had to call in. The store makes €1m a WEEK but when I came back I was told “managers are just meant to struggle on” and all these hypothetical scenarios like what if I was opening the building (on this occasion I was not) and “we want to believe all absence is genuine”.

So no, I didn’t feel guilty before and I don’t feel guilty now. A company that makes as much money as they do, as I say our store makes €1m per week and Christmas week we made €4m, can afford to hire more staff but sadly they run on greed & apparently unprofessional management ^{^} so no I don’t feel guilty at all. They also own the building so no the rent isn’t colossal or anything. It really pissed me off but look I have to pay bills.

They wouldn't feel guilty letting you go!!!!!

I used to but now i couldn’t care! Ur just a number at the end of the day & everyones replaceable

No, I would personally feel embarrassed about myself if I did

Never feel guilty!

I used to work with a team where certain people would always call out sick, so we were able to expect it. But then whenever I was actually sick, they acted like it was the end of the world and I was personally doing them a disservice!

Since I was one of the “reliable” people they never accounted for ME being sick, so instead of trying to handle the people pulling sickys to go party, they’d try guilt me into coming into work when I was actually sick.

All of that, and I was on minimum wage. The lowest paid person there just because I was the youngest

🙋🏻 Me but I am getting better and trying to put myself first

Ring in sick and don’t even explain why just say your unfit to work and you will get a sick note if your out for 3 days. I had a ‘manager’ ask me questions about my illness and make me feel like the bad one and she was called in for a disciplinary. It’s illegal for anyone to question your illness or be a cunt about it aswell !!! The minute you ring in the weight is off your shoulders don’t worry about what they think worry about your own self and your health 💞

Sick leave is a legal entitlement within a contractual arrangement. No guilt here.

I'm not joking i once ended up taking 6 weeks off because i hated having the little return to work meeting. I realised something was up with me then lol but yes i absolutly HATED ringing in sick like you might as well be sending me to my execution with the panic even though my bos was the lovliest man

I do but that’s just because at my old job I’d be shamed for it and told I was letting everyone down so I’m trying to come back from that

I’m like that too. Think I need to be half buried before I call in sick. The last time I was sick, I carried on. The result bronchitis that seemed to go on forever.

And January is a horrible month . I hate it myself .

Only when I'm lying. There's no reason to feel guilty about it. We all work enough and you're only human.

I’d honestly have more money if I didn’t work NGL - I feel guilty if I ring in sick but only because our team is buggered with people on leave so I feel shit. Also no one does your work while you’re off do when you come back it’s horrific- only urgent items gets handed out

I never have unless I'm actually faking being sick eg. Just need a personal day.

If I feel even slightly sick, I'll take a 1/2 day and see how I feel towards the afternoon. The quicker I can recover the better I'll be of assistance to my company.

A good boss will ensure you don't work when your sick.

I do feel guilty. It's hard when you work in a smaller place

No. Sick is sick.

I used to work with guys who would come in dying sick and spreading germs cause they were too afraid to call in sick.

The catholic guilt is real… I don’t ever get to enjoy a relaxing day of recovery because I’m wracked with guilt when I call(message) in sick. Not sure your age group but def the Gen z’r don’t have the same guilt issues as Gen X… the work ethic was drilled into us too. My young cousin told me he had zero guilt about anything that was his motto and I just thought oh god how refreshing! I try to channel him on those sick days… Rest up - back pain is no joke

Absolutely zero issue with ringing in sick. I worked as a manager and no issues if staff called in sick either. There were something like 5 uncertified sick days "allowed" where HR wouldn't question. I would always advise people who went to a doctor to make sure they got a note as that was viewed completely separately.

Also, one that not many people realise, if you take annual leave and you're sick, if you get a doctors note, you can claim those annual leave days back and put them through as sick days.

Not at all

No guilt whatsoever if I have a genuine reason

You're not alone. In my last job, we were so short staffed that when anyone called in sick while someone else was on annual leave, It meant the workload was crazy for the rest of the team. You felt guilty because you were letting down your colleagues, nothing to do with the company. I'm in a new job now with no issues calling in sick, but I still feel guilty.

I work in a hospital. People are coming in sick more then the patients they care for. We are short staffed. We just have to get on with it. It's not easy but gets the point in coming in sick and spreading it.

Call in when your not able.

I honestly feel more guilty when I don’t ring in sick. I work with elderly, vulnerable members of the community and wouldn’t be able to live with myself knowing I passed a mild (to me) illness onto them, with the potential of landing them in hospital.

I used to; I'd even go to work sick as a dog in the hopes they wouldn't need me enough and would send me home.

Then I started to watch how others would cry off sick for their first shift of every week to no complaint, criticism or comeuppance. Now, I don't even attempt to move from home if I'm unwell; they'll get the same "not well, need cover" from me that they do others, and they'll choke it down whether they like it or not.

You might have that job for a few years, but you won't have the health to do anything else in future if you don't take care of yourself now.