Never mind the credit crunch, if you're feeling sick then don't come to work, with employees in the banking sector particularly reluctant to stay at home, British bosses say.
Almost three-quarters of employers said staff should stay at home if they feel ill rather than drag themselves to their desks, according to a survey of 1,000 bosses on Tuesday.
"In the current economic environment, employees may feel the need more than ever to go beyond the call of duty and work through an infectious illness," said Chris Hannant, policy director for the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC).
"But this is not the way to make a positive impression."
The BCC survey, carried out with medicine maker Benylin, found that 73 percent of bosses think employees should stay at home and recover when they fall sick, with more than four out of five believing that poorly staff are less productive.
They were also concerned about the "domino effect" where a sick employee comes to work and spreads their germs to other staff.
However a separate poll of British workers found many are worried or feel guilty about taking a day off sick, with 57 percent saying they would have to be severely ill before deciding to stay at home.
Those working in the banking sector on average took the fewest number of days off sick in the last year, followed by staff in the hotel and restaurant industry.
"Given the gap between employer and employee views, the findings suggest that there needs to be a bit more common sense about taking sick leave when you're ill and maybe employers need to spell this out more clearly," Hannant said.
在英国公司的老板们看来，员工如果身体不适，就应该在家休息，不用管什么信贷紧缩。而银行业的职员们却不太敢这么做。
本周二公布的一项针对1000名老板的调查显示，近四分之三的老板认为，员工生病了就应该在家休息，不必硬撑着去上班。
英国商会政策部主管克里斯•汉南特说：“在当前经济形势下，员工可能觉得自己要比以往更加卖力地工作，所以才会带病上班。”
“但其实这样做并不会为自己加分。”
该项由英国商会与Benylin制药公司联合开展的调查显示，73%的老板认为员工生病了应该在家养病直至康复，超过五分之四的老板认为员工在感到身体不适时工作效率会降低。
此外，老板还担心“多米诺骨牌效应”，员工带病上班会把病菌传染给其他人。
不过另一项针对英国雇员的调查显示，很多人休一天病假就会感到担心或者有负罪感，57%的人称自己只有在病得很重的情况下才会请病假。
去年，英国银行业职员的平均休病假天数最少，其次是酒店和餐饮业。
汉南特说：“鉴于老板和雇员的观点存在差别，调查表明，对于员工生病是否要休病假的问题需要多一点共识，或许老板应该将其立场更明确地传达给员工。”