Health risk from credit crunch

The credit crunch has led to employers putting pressure on staff to work when they are sick, while employees risk their health by working when they are ill, according to research.

Health insurer HSA found more than a third of HR professionals (35 per cent) claim their company encourages employees to continue picking up emails and to perform basic tasks while absent from work through illness.

A further 15 per cent admit that while they did not officially encourage staff to do this, it probably took place.

Meanwhile, 42 per cent of British workers stated they were less likely to take time off during the economic slowdown and 21 per cent are less inclined to act on lingering or background health issues in tougher economic times.

Researchers found one person who ignored losing vision in one eye and did not visit the optician through fear of what work might think. The blindness was caused by a brain tumour and resulted in permanent blindness, HSA said.

Richard Halley, head of sales at HSA, said: "Companies are under pressure to get the best out of employees, especially during these tough economic times.

"However, this should not be done at the expense of employee health and welfare. Companies will only battle through an economic downturn with the support of their employees, and their wellbeing should therefore be of paramount importance."

The study also refutes the myth of 'man flu'. Findings reveal men are less likely than woman to take a day off for the common cold and women are twice as likely to take time off work for a cough than men.

Men have also taken fewer days off sick than their female counterpart – 45 per cent of men had not taken a day off in the past year, compared to 31 per cent of women.