More than a third of workers (37%) say they are working through pain as they cannot afford to take sick leave, according to a poll.
The survey of 2,000 workers carried out for the National Accident Helpline also found almost a third (28%) admitted to having worked from home when they should have otherwise used a sick day and taken sick leave.
A quarter (26%) have or have had computer vision syndrome, while a similar percentage have taken painkillers to work because of working through a work-related injury. More than half (56%) are also adamant that they have never taken sick leave falsely.
When asked more about their daily working patterns, a fifth of respondents said they spent more than five hours sitting down a day if they are working from home. A third said they were sitting down for more than five hours a day if they are in the office.
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A fifth of employees admitted they did not take or have any lunch at all, while the vast majority did not take more than 45 minutes for lunch.
More than a third of those surveyed also reported doing less than an hour’s worth of exercise a week, with 5% saying they exercised less often than weekly.
John Kushnick, National Accident Helpline legal operations director said: “This research paints a bleak picture of the health of workers in the UK. Nobody should have to choose when it comes to their health, but the reality is accidents and illnesses do happen, yet the UK’s current statutory sick pay is clearly forcing people into working, which can often lead to worse long term outcomes.
“While the UK is experiencing relatively high rates of sickness absence and ill health, it is clear the bigger picture includes the thousands of people who are still in work because they cannot afford to not be. Gig economy workers, for example, are particularly vulnerable.
“Ahead of the general election in the UK, all eyes will be on which party puts workers’ rights at its core, to tackle record sickness rates both inside and outside the workforce,” Kushnick added.
The poll has come as separate research has concluded that hybrid workers, who split themselves between home and the office, take less sick leave than either those working remotely full time or in the office full time.
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