Calling in sick used to mean flu, fever or food poisoning. But today’s “sickie” might be more about freedom than phlegm. A new survey of 2,000 UK workers from instantprint has revealed that 1 in 5 women have pulled a sick day to go shopping, while a further 22% admitted they were really just stretching out a holiday.

It’s not just women getting creative with their sick leave. In total, 68% of UK workers admit to faking at least one sick day in the past year. The most common reasons were running errands (35%), dodging meetings (14%) or simply taking a rest day (41%).

The hidden cost of ‘duvet days’

What may feel like a harmless day off can carry a hefty price tag. Using national productivity data and average absence rates, instantprint estimates that fake sick days cost over £45,000 per year for a team of 10, thanks to missed deadlines, disrupted workflows and lowered morale.

Vicki Russell, Head of TX (HR) at instantprint, says:
“These ‘sickies’ are rarely about skiving. They’re often signs that someone’s overworked, under-supported or too afraid to ask for a proper break. If people have to lie to take care of themselves, something’s broken.”

From burnout to honesty breakdown

The research also revealed some eye-opening truths about workplace culture:

• 63% of employees say they still work through genuine illness out of guilt
• 44% feel pressure or judgement from managers when taking time off
• 1 in 5 will only take a day off if they physically can’t get out of bed

And while fake sick days happen across the UK, certain cities are leading the charge:

• London workers are most likely to fake illness to avoid a meeting (51%)
• Birmingham is the shopping sickie capital (36%)
• Brighton is most open about mental health absences
• Leeds is home to the UK’s most honest workforce

What employers should do

instantprint is urging businesses to reassess their approach to sick leave and to make time off for rest a normal part of working life. Russell recommends:

• Make sick leave policies inclusive of mental health
• Allow “personal days” to reduce the need for excuses
• Train managers to support wellbeing, not police it
• Offer confidential return-to-work chats
• Signpost mental health support like the Printing Charity

“This isn’t about being soft,” Russell adds. “It’s about building a workplace where people don’t feel they have to fake it to function.”