Reduction in Sickness Levels during the Pandemic

With minor illness the commute and a whole day away from home comforts can be daunting. we have a huge culture of academic staff working from home when feeling that type of illness. now that non-academic staff are being asked to work from home, this will have extended to them. Speaking as an admin person I've found it easier to self care at home, i'm not sure i'd feel OK using a hot water bottle in the workplace, that and access to my own bathroom have been the comforts. I've been working longer, lonelier hours and a lonelier lifestyle and my mental health is feeling the strain. The sick we have experienced reported has been mostly covid related and severe stress due to the huge amount of change and new work creating burnout in some despite good morale. The main sickness driver is a new term of students followed by little annual leave taken in the first term so just before Christmas it all peaks. It remains to be seen if Fresher's flu and burnout that seem to affect us are real as new patterns emerge. We have no culture of 'recreational sick,' other negative behaviours instead to avoid early starts or tasks not desired show up, also short notice leave where possible is agreed.

With minor illness the commute and a whole day away from home comforts can be daunting. we have a huge culture of academic staff working from home when feeling that type of illness. now that non-academic staff are being asked to work from home, this will have extended to them. Speaking as an admin person I've found it easier to self care at home, i'm not sure i'd feel OK using a hot water bottle in the workplace, that and access to my own bathroom have been the comforts. I've been working longer, lonelier hours and a lonelier lifestyle and my mental health is feeling the strain. The sick we have experienced reported has been mostly covid related and severe stress due to the huge amount of change and new work creating burnout in some despite good morale. The main sickness driver is a new term of students followed by little annual leave taken in the first term so just before Christmas it all peaks. It remains to be seen if Fresher's flu and burnout that seem to affect us are real as new patterns emerge. We have no culture of 'recreational sick,' other negative behaviours instead to avoid early starts or tasks not desired show up, also short notice leave where possible is agreed.