Me, to boss: today is one of those days where if I worked in the office I would be home in bed.
Boss: you can take a sick day you know?
Yeah right? Like I can sit in my living room feeling crappy, knowing that there’s a long list of work stuff right there in the next room waiting to get done. That’s not how it works!
Getting sick when you work in a home office is very difficult. Taking time out is like being in your office building and spending your sick day in the break room, cafe, staff room, sofas, whatever. If you were office based and sick and in the office building how weird would that be?
So unless I’m so sick I can’t see straight or I’m throwing up, I keep working.
When I started working from home, after a couple of months the arrangement had to be formalised, so I met with my boss to review how things were going. I told him I’m 30% more productive at home compared to the office. I repeat this on an annual basis at review time, just to make sure the point is reinforced.
But if you add to that daily extra the sick days spent working, even at half the usual effectiveness. Boy, my company does so well out of this arrangement!
I wonder if this is turning into a variation on the theme of “work as an addiction” I was talking about the other day? Work ethic and respect
I’m pretty sure my colleagues who also work from home have a similar attitude to being poorly – going by the snuffles and coughs and splutters on teleconferences. So maybe I’m not being excessively dedicated after all?
Smelly Socks and Garden Peas 