Brits Brave Work, Even with a Hangover

Despite a culture of binge drinking and a reputation for drinking European counterparts under the table, British workers play hard and work hard, with 62% refusing to pull a sickie after a night out on the tiles. In fact, a survey from Monster shows that just over a third of Brits have ever taken time off work because of a hangover.

A Monster Meter poll recently asked, Have you ever taken a day off because of a hangover? 3,359 respondents voted:

49% (1619 votes) ñ No, I always come to work however hungover I am
24% (814 votes) ñ Yes, several times
14% (486 votes) ñ Yes, but only once
13% (440 votes) ñ No, I think my colleagues/boss would find out

Even with such an open attitude towards social drinking, emergence of the ìladette cultureî and last year’s change in licensing laws, British workers still take the line that when thereís a job to do, donít let a hangover get in the way.

Chris Evans and Pete Doherty have infamously turned up for work slightly worse for wear. While these levels of excessiveness are not standard behaviour for everyone, in general the majority of Brits choose to work through their hangover rather than to sleep it off.

So whatís getting Brits out of bed and into the office? A hard-working ethos and increasingly competitive workplace may be attributable. In addition, more businesses are offering financial incentives to encourage people to turn up for work, according to the Cass Business School. The Government has also called on businesses to invest more time and money in preventing ill health at work.

The Royal Mail’s scheme, launched last August, offered staff the chance to win a car if they did not take any sick leave in six months. Attendance levels rose, with the equivalent of 1,000 more staff at work daily.

Sick pay currently costs the industry about 32billion a year, according to the Cass Business School, with 4billion purely based on absenteeism figures alone. While it is imperative for employers to identify the root cause of staff absenteeism, steps should also be taken to recognise staff with a good attendance record.

ìWith the arrival of spring and evenings staying lighter for longer, we believe people will be out socialising even more,î explains Alan Townsend, COO for Monster UK & Ireland. ìEmployers need to look at the culture within their own business and get the balance right. At Monster we encourage our employees to work hard and play hard ensuring appreciation for excellent performance.î