Britons are split over whether to drag themselves into the office with a cold or work from home, as remote work reshapes office culture. Some still favour a 'tough it out' mindset, while others argue that spreading germs when remote work is an option is unnecessary.
Sick day statistics
Office for National Statistics data shows the average UK worker took roughly 4.4 sick days in 2025. This led to an estimated 148.8 million working days lost to sickness or injury, down 0.1 million from 2024 but up 9.8 million from the pre-pandemic 2019 level.
The highest sickness rates involve women, older workers, those with long-term health conditions, part-time staff, and people in the public sector and process, plant and machine operative occupations.
Public opinions
On TikTok, @tempzz00 said: 'If I ain't nauseous, and physically I'm able to get out of bed, then I'm healthy enough to work. It'll feel like I'm lying to myself.' @000_mentallyunstable_000 added: 'I refuse to stay home while sick. It's called pop a pill and go to work.'
On Reddit, @katrivers said they would rather 'go to work with a mask on' than work from home 'unless I'm feeling really unwell or have a fever.' @ice-mirrors_97 wrote: 'I am a pretty dedicated person, so unless I'm throwing up, have a fever or a major headache, I will usually just toughen it out and go anyways.' @fernX02 simply argued: 'Go to work and suffer.'
Others disagreed. @sapphic.spaghetti on TikTok wrote: 'As someone with an autoimmune disorder, I get pretty upset when coworkers come into work contagious.' @imkeeleyknight said: 'There is no reason for people to come and spread their illness to others,' which @brookefilippini_ called 'disrespectful.' On Reddit, @peachneuman said it's best to work remotely if unwell, writing: 'As a manager, this is what I tell my team to do. Do not come into the office sick.'
Health expert advice
Health expert Thorrun Govind told Metro: 'Having a cold does not necessarily mean you are too unwell to work, but it is worth thinking about the people around you. Colds are caused by viruses and can spread quite easily. Especially in shared indoor spaces. If you have the option to work from home, why expose your colleagues to an infection unnecessarily? Being considerate of other people's health is just as important as getting through your to-do list.'
Govind added: 'There is sometimes an unhelpful culture around presenteeism, where people feel they have to demonstrate commitment by physically turning up. But coming into the office with a cold is not necessarily a sign of dedication. Sometimes the more responsible decision is to stay at home.' She noted working from home should not become an expectation when someone is genuinely unwell: 'If you need rest and recovery, take the time to do that.'
Manager perspectives
James Ryan, CEO of Compare Builders, called it 'an outdated attitude' that being physically present demonstrates commitment. 'I don't subscribe to that. What might start as one employee having a bit of a cold can turn into several people being ill over the following week. From a business point of view, that's counterproductive.'
Petra Wilton, Director of Policy and External Affairs at the Chartered Management Institute, echoed this: 'Dragging a streaming cold into an open-plan office isn't a badge of honour — it risks knocking out your colleagues and damaging the wider team's productivity.' She warned flexibility shouldn't be exploited: 'Using the lingering tail end of a minor cold as an excuse to avoid the office impacts in-person collaboration and team connection.' She also cautioned against riding out illness: 'Being able to log on from the sofa shouldn't mean feeling pressured to never switch off.'
Wilton concluded: 'Ultimately, this comes down to good leadership and management. That means having the common sense to stay away when you're genuinely infectious, the integrity to return once you're on the mend, and the confidence to take real time off when you simply need to rest.'
