Calling in sick to work makes a lot of people feel uncomfortable or even embarrassed. Many worry that they’re not sick enough to justify a day off, or that their boss may think they’re trying to play truant.

However, the general opinion about calling in sick changed rapidly in recent times, and frankly, if there’s any possibility that you’re contagious, going to the office will do more harm than good  — especially if your job can be done remotely.

With that in mind, let’s not make calling in sick to work more intricate than it needs to be. Don’t feel guilty about feeling unwell and taking a day off; all of us get sick every once in a while regardless of role or rank.

So, read on as we go over how to call in sick at work the right way, along with some tips that’ll help you best notify your boss of your poor health.

How to Call in Sick to Work

When calling in sick at work, keep in mind that your commitments for the day won’t just vanish because you’re unable to fulfill them. Either someone else has to do the work for you, or you have to reschedule it to the next day, or worst-case scenario: the work never gets done at all — no one else can do it and it can’t be done some other day.

So, even though it’s not your fault that you are ill and suffering, your absence may nonetheless hurt the workplace’s productivity. Therefore, when you call in sick, make sure you do it the right way by following these steps:

Choose the right person to inform

While formal policy documents and corporate handbooks can answer you best on who to inform, there’s no need to go rummaging around in all that literature. Simply telling your immediate superior will be the right choice in most cases.

Additionally, some organizations might require you to log your sick day on an online portal for administrative purposes. If you’re not sure whether you need to do it, simply include it in your call/email to your superior.

Do it ASAP

 If you wake up feeling sick and realize you won’t make it to work today, call or email your boss right away. If you’re feeling ill the day before, let your supervisor know about the likelihood of you not coming to work the following day.

The earlier you communicate about it, the better your work can manage your absence as your colleagues get more time to plan and adjust in advance.

Send word to your team as well

Your boss isn’t the only one to be impacted by the fact that you’re gone for the day. If you have a group of colleagues involved in a collaborative effort or batch project, inform them of your absence as well. Not only does this make you a better employee, but it also grants your team the opportunity to modify their schedule and proceed ahead without you.

Offer to compensate for the missed work

If the work can be done remotely and you feel healthy enough to do so, offer to work from home. Otherwise, make certain that either you will do your work later or someone else is going to do it on your behalf.

Follow up

If you’re required to provide proof of your illness, be sure to do so. However, if you’re just taking a day off because of stress or are simply planning to treat yourself with a leave (which you totally deserve!), don’t use the sickness as your excuse that might require a doctor’s note, as you could end up shooting yourself in the foot.

4 of The Best Tips For Calling in Sick to Work

• Keep it short:
  No one is interested in knowing all the gruesome details of your cold, flu, or diarrhea. In a lengthy sick leave email or phone call, you might end up explaining more than necessary.
  Not only is it susceptible to be perceived as an overdramatization of the situation, but it may also be interpreted as a lie.
  
• Choose the right medium:
  Every workplace has a different milieu. Do not email your sick leave if calls are the usual go-to, and don’t send an informal text message to your boss for calling in sick if you’re not on causal terms with them.
  
• Evaluate the timing:
  On a particularly work-heavy, all-hands-to-the-pump kind of day, your supervisor or colleagues may resent you for taking a leave. So, think twice before calling in sick on a big day. Additionally, the day before or after a holiday is another questionable option that should better be avoided.
  
• Keep any lies to yourself:
  If you considered stretching the truth with the excuse you called in sick with, don’t share those details with a workmate. At best, no good comes of it; at worst, you open yourself up to a really awkward situation down the road that may involve a lot of apologizing.