We all have at times used crazy excuses to call out of work duty. Some are credible. Some people can go to the most creative excuses. Some workers never call out sick. More than one in ten workers have called in during the last year to say they would not be in. It averages about three or more times a year.
Human resource professionals report that the motivations can come down to three areas: Personal errands, appointments, or just needing a mental health day. Other reasons are child care demands, bad weather, or covert job interviews.
Often sick days awarded per year as a benefit, and if not carried over to the next year, they are lost. People would rather use them then return that benefit back to their employers.
Harris Interactive did some research for a company that reported people who call in sick, are not physically ill. Sixty-two percent are for ‘other’ excuses, thirty-eight for illness, and other factors like personal needs.
In all fairness, but not making excuses, companies are reducing staff to turn profits and some workers are doing the work of two or three people. If someone is terminated, employers are not necessarily replacing that person but distributing the work.
Some employees who struggle with loyalty, feel like the sick days are extra vacation days. It is hard to pinpoint the entire relevancy, but it is obvious that people will abuse the system and call in sick then go to the beach.
Creative excuses can be utterly funny. Some employers are keeping logs and then issuing an award for the most “creative call out excuse.”
Here are some of the funnier ones:
- An employee used the excuse that he broke his arm trying to grab a sandwich before it fell to the floor.
- A male worker said he hurt himself bowling a 300 the night before and the bowling arm was too sore.
- A female reported that she was brushing her hair and poked her eye with the hair brush.
- “I had no clean underwear”. You have to laugh.
- A scheduled pot-luck caused an employee to call out as the “dish did not turn out.”
- A cat lover called out sick cause the cat unplugged the clock and the morning alarm never went off.
- How is this for an excuse? “I thought it was Sunday when I woke up.”
- Have you heard “a tree fell on my car?”
- An employee stated that their doctor insisted more Vitamin D was needed so they had to go to the beach.
People can get very creative. You remember when you were a child and you told your teacher, “my dog age my homework.”
Employees calling out for work is always going to happen. Some really exploit the system and then you have those faithful on your staff who just keep working no matter what! Sometimes you have to appreciate the creativity but sometimes you have to crack down in order to keep the abuse to a minimum. As long as people keep coming up with excuses it will always be worth noting the funny ones to brighten our days at work.
