Sickies Today

[Garpal Gumnut]

I would be surprised if anyone goes to work today.

Six of my men have called in sick so far, and another four will probably call within the next hour on past form.

How can I keep the Arnage in fuel if the bastards keep on doing this. The last Mrs Gumnut need paying off. The school fees at Scotch have gone up again. Dharma wants to go and help in Haiti and I'll have to get her there. I've bought a few apartments from the distressed, just trying to help out.

Thank god I'm out of the market.

And now the bastards won't come to work to pay for it all.

This country is going to the dogs.

gg

 

[Putty7]

When I was contracting for Leightons a few years ago Garpal they expected it as well, they got us to work 3/4 day on the Saturday (we were only doing 5 day weeks at that stage) and gave us the Monday off to save this sort of thing happening, silly that it had to be done but a good solution to the problem.

 

[roland]

makes it pretty easy to identify which of your staff members move up the list to be replaced when the need comes

 

[Garpal Gumnut]

Its raining here after the weather anyway, so I don't mind too much.

gg

 

[Pivotonian]

I hear you.

I'm at work today and the place is like a ghost town. Why is it always left to the same old few to keep this country afloat?

 

[Garpal Gumnut]

I hear you.

I'm at work today and the place is like a ghost town. Why is it always left to the same old few to keep this country afloat?

go to the dunny 4 times in the next 20minutes.
clutch your belly after the third trip and then let on your going to spew.

easy

gg

 

[Smurf1976]

I'm about to go to bed so as to be up in time for work at 5am tomorrow...

And yes I worked today, 11 hours.

 

[prawn_86]

About half our office took today off. But they all organised it last week and used one of their annual leave days.

I dont get companies that pressure staff when they use a leave day, if your that short staffed that people taking what they are entitled to will make a difference, then hire more people (not directed at you garpal, just general musings)

 

[drsmith]

Six of my men have called in sick so far, and another four will probably call within the next hour on past form.

Just put their pay for today into my bank account.

That'll teach em.

 

[Mr J]

I dont get companies that pressure staff when they use a leave day, if your that short staffed that people taking what they are entitled to will make a difference, then hire more people (not directed at you garpal, just general musings)

What if those people who took the day off are needed for the office to run? How easy and convenient is it to hire someone for a day because someone decided to take the day off? I don't know anything about this, but seems like it's entirely possible for someone taking a day off to significantly hurt productivity.

 

[GumbyLearner]

Go the sickie

 

[gav]

If it makes you feel better GG, you weren't alone. And it's not over yet, expect a few more sickies on Wednesday:

Australia's biggest ever sickie

AUSTRALIANS will take the biggest and most expensive sick day ever today, with half a million workers expected to ditch their job in favour of a four-day long weekend.

With Australia Day preparations in full swing, employees are fleeing work in droves ahead of tomorrow's public holiday, with the cost to the national economy predicted to be more than $250 million, The Australian reports.

According to analysis by absence-management firm Direct Health Solutions, an additional 33 per cent, or 500,000 employees, will not be at work today compared with a normal Monday, the biggest ever gross number not to show up to work.

The lost labour will result in a $257m economic blow to Australian businesses.

Direct Health Solutions managing director Paul Dundon said the number of "sickies" expected today was "shocking".

"It will obviously put tremendous pressure on businesses and we would urge all employees to do the right thing," Mr Dundon said.

The estimated number of absent workers was based on data collected two weeks before and after Australia Day last year.

"Gross population numbers have gone up, the cost of wages has gone up . . . it's logical to conclude that there will be more people off than ever and it will be more costly," Mr Dundon said.

"We're also seeing higher levels of sick leave, with research showing it has risen by 19 per cent over the past 12 months alone."

Mr Dundon said employees would seriously harm their careers if they took unplanned leave over the Australia Day stretch.

"Employers know what's happening and why people mysteriously don't show up to work," he said.

"In the end, the business will suffer and it will be the employee's job that is at risk."

A further 100,000 people were expected to continue their unauthorised leave on Wednesday, resulting in an additional $37m loss to the economy.

Director of economics at the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Greg Evans said yesterday he hoped the numbers of absent workers would not be as high as anticipated.

He urged employees to do the right thing and make sure if they wanted leave, to book it in advance.


http://www.news.com.au/business/bus...gest-ever-sickie/story-e6frfm9r-1225823088777

 

[GumbyLearner]

Go the sickie!

Otherwise, the Guvmint should declare Monday off and make Tuesday a workday
It's Australia Day for god/goodness sake!


Go the sickie!

 

[Miner]

My employer worked rather smartly.
The CFO has asked every one to take annual leave for today unless there was something very urgent or client asked to work today. That too such working needs prior approval from CFO / CEO.

Considering we have offices in Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne and Adelaide definitely the KPI for not having sickie today has improved.

I enjoyed this forceful annual leave with time with family and no office phone buzzing on a week day

 

[prawn_86]

What if those people who took the day off are needed for the office to run? How easy and convenient is it to hire someone for a day because someone decided to take the day off? I don't know anything about this, but seems like it's entirely possible for someone taking a day off to significantly hurt productivity.

My whole point is that the office/workplace should not need anyone. People should be entitled to take a leave day whenever they feel like it as that is within their legal rights. I dont get it how employers pressure people for taking what they are allowed to have. If people are needed, they either have too much responsibility, or thew organisation is too short staffed.

Where i work if we want a day off we simply tell them and get it no questions asked. A happy workforce is a productive workforce.

My employer worked rather smartly.
The CFO has asked every one to take annual leave for today unless there was something very urgent or client asked to work today. That too such working needs prior approval from CFO / CEO.

Yep good idea. If a large organisation can do it, many others should be able to

 

[noco]

It's only in recent years the authorities have held Australia Day on the 26th January which is the actual day.

What difference does a day or two make to the spirit of the holiday?

I say go back to holding it on a Monday. End of SICKIE problem.

 

[skyQuake]

Interesting how my friend in Macq doesnt get the day off (M&A)
Poor guy

 

[Smurf1976]

My whole point is that the office/workplace should not need anyone. People should be entitled to take a leave day whenever they feel like it as that is within their legal rights. I dont get it how employers pressure people for taking what they are allowed to have. If people are needed, they either have too much responsibility, or thew organisation is too short staffed.

Any one individual will have some downtime that is a given, for an employee it will be roughly 10% of the time in any given year. So if you actually "need" 90 people to make things work then, in theory, you need to employ 100 knowing that 90 will turn up on an average day.

Where it gets difficult however is if half your workforce fail to turn up on the same day. A business can't reasonably employ, say, 180 people in order to reliably have 90 turn up. They'll go broke real quick if they do that.

It's the same with physical equipment. A bus company, for example, would logically expect that not all their buses will be on the road on any given day. Breakdowns, accidents etc will happen and it's unlikely they'll ever have the whole lot on the road all at once if it's a large company. So if they need 100 on the road, they'll have perhaps 110 to make it work (I'm guessing that figure, I've never worked in the bus industry). Now, if there's some problem that causes half the buses to break down all at once then the company simply will not be able to run all their services - they're not going to have 200 buses, running only half of them, just in case there's a sudden mass breakdown.

Same with a lot of industries. You have a margin above what is actually needed to cover things going wrong. In the power industry 17% was long regarded as the absolute minimum although that's been ignored in recent years (hence blackouts...). Aviation would be similar, at least for all but the very cheap airlines. Same with any situation where you have numerous "units" soing the same thing which collectively create the total output of the business.

Things will go wrong, that's why you need some spare, but you don't expect literally half your people, buses, generators, planes or whatever to fail at the same time. 10% is normal, no problem there. 20% you cope with by paying some overtime, delaying non-urgent work, bringing your old "spare" buses / planes / power etc back into use. But if 50% goes down all at once then you're completely stuffed if it's any kind of "just in time" production (eg power) or any type of service industry.

Obviously if it's a situation like a brick factory that only works 5 days a week then it's far less of a problem. Bricks can be stockpiled in advance and there's always the option of working the following weekend to catch up since the factory is otherwise idle at that time. But most jobs are somewhat more time critical than that.

 

[drsmith]

When it falls on a Wednesday would you,

1) take the first two days of the week off ?
2) take the last two days of the week off ?
3) take the whole week off ?

 

[Miner]

When it falls on a Wednesday would you,

1) take the first two days of the week off ?
2) take the last two days of the week off ?
3) take the whole week off ?

Just to add : Put Thursday as a semi working day to collect the dole and to buy Lotto Ticket. After not going to work for the whole week there should be only work to stand on dole queue and buying lotto ticket.