Are We Getting Sicker?

The end of 2024 may be months away, but there’s one category in which younger workers seem likely to be the year’s clear leader: sick days.

According to the large-payroll and benefits firm, Gusto, the average number of sick days taken has grown 15% in five years, an increase that experts say cuts both ways: On the one hand, it reflects the fact that employees are making better work-life balance decisions, but on the other, it represents a threat to corporate productivity, which relies on people not using all of their sick time. And among generations, workers age 25 to 34 substantially surpassed other generations in the number of sick days they used. Despite their youth and, presumably, better health, they accounted for an average of nearly a third of sick days at firms, compared to about 28% for workers in both demographics above them (35 to 54 and 55 and older).

Experts say it’s the latest evidence that younger workers are balancing their health and their work commitments—a habit that became especially important during the pandemic. But corporate leaders worry that sick time can be misused, and that some workers may be taking it even when they’re well enough to work. “I’ve seen less tenured employees hear about 80 hours of sick leave, and say ‘Oh, 80 hours—that’s 10 more days,’” says Dennis Deans, vice president of global human resources at Korn Ferry. “Well, it’s not really designed for that.”

Indeed, the generational shift is crystal clear, and it appears to have caught some managers off guard. For older generations, working through all kinds of mental and physical ailments was a matter of pride. Some employees, particularly non-parents, would go years without taking a sick day. “It was a badge of honor—and you probably infected many others in the office,” says Ron Porter, senior partner at Korn Ferry. For Gen X, the concept of “taking a mental health day” was a joke. Today, to Gen Z, doing so is a perfectly viable option, and experts say that these younger workers may feel genuine surprise at the distrust that their sick-day habits can engender around the office, particularly if they do not understand the heavy lift that teammates pick up in their absence. The confusion is especially acute at companies that encourage employee well-being and the use of benefits. “It’s a massive switcheroo on company culture,” says Kate Shattuck, global co-leader of the Impact Investing, ESG, and Sustainability practice at Korn Ferry.

To be sure, many HR officials do applaud younger workers for protecting themselves, and agree that taking time off can benefit their work. The number of sick days firms offer has risen this century, in fact, from an average of eight per year to ten. Today, many people are taking sick days because of a resurgence of COVID, which still regularly knocks workers, family members, and childcare providers out of commission. But the prevalence of Gen-Z employees who are taking sick days may require some new math in HR departments: To determine staffing and keep up productivity, firms have historically relied on people not using all their sick days. “In a well-run, efficient organization, every day does matter,” says Porter. He suggests that companies adapt their accounting to use a “sober, worst-case basis around sick days.” For many firms, that means assuming most will be used.

Certain policy shifts may deter excessive sick-day use. One option is to roll sick time and PTO together into one pot of vacation time, allowing employees to choose how they use it. “With no separate sick-day bank, using days becomes no questions asked,” says Steve Kapper, head of the National Health and Welfare Benefits practice at Korn Ferry. Without designated sick days, there isn’t an opportunity for resentment to arise, he says. This approach also allows for the advance planning that firms appreciate, he adds.

Another solution is to allow employees to convert sick days into vacation days, perhaps at a rate of two-thirds of a vacation day per sick day. “It gives employees a little bit of choice, which is always appreciated,” says Porter. “But I wouldn’t offer it if there’s not a problem with sick-day usage.” 

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