Sometimes you just don’t wanna get out of bed.

If you’re lucky you can drop a mail or a WhatsApp, but if you’re forced to make the call it’s all about the whimpering voice and well-timed cough.

You’re not alone, because according to a study by Pharma Dynamics “almost 40% of South Africans said they’re planning on “pulling a sickie” over the course of June or July”.

Speaking to 1 500 South Africans, a third admitted they had pulled a sickie before, with 45% saying they do so two or three times a year.

Take a look around the office – you know who they are.

So what are the top excuses used to get the day off work? BusinessTech reports:

• Coming down with a cold or flu, stomach bug or migraine (78%)
• Personal reasons (27%)
• Home emergencies, such as a burst geyser, alarm problems etc (19%)
• Stress and/or burn-out was tied with having to look after a sick relative or partner (15%)
• Transport difficulties – bus, train, taxi running late or car trouble (8%)
• Overslept (7%)
• Making an appointment weeks ago that you forgot to inform the office about and can’t cancel at the last minute (5%)
• Hangover (4%)
• Broken out in a rash (1%)

A round of applause for the 4% who told it like it is – I’m hangover and I cannot function right now.

Here at 2OV we actually know of someone, someone of adult age no less, who once called in sick because they didn’t have any clean clothes to wear. The mind boggles.

If you’re still required to make that whimpering, cough-laden phone call you’re now in the minority:

These days the most popular way to call in sick by far is SMSing or sending a WhatsApp (62%). Less than a third (30%) still does so telephonically (probably as a result of strict company policy) and 7% informs work of their absenteeism via email.

Reading this at home, tucked under the covers having called in a sickie? We send a high five your way.

[source:businesstech]