19 million threw a Super Bowl sickie; only one-in-five have a work ‘bestie’

Nearly 20 million called in sick after Super Bowl

An estimated 18.8 million people called in sick this Monday morning – the day after the biggest night in US sport – the Super Bowl. Worse still, according to The Workforce Institute at UKG, some 17.2 million out of this 18.8 million actually ‘planned’ their absence. All-told the total number pulling a sickie eclipsed that of previous years. In 2018, the number was ‘just’ 14 million, and it was estimated to have been 16.1 million in 2021. The sheer number of sickies this Monday will spur many who have long argued that the day after the Super Bowl should be declared a national holiday. The research concludes: “The lack of transparency between employees and managers creates a mounting problem in the form of unplanned absence, lost productivity, and erosion of trust – a problem that could be tackled by more honest communication and greater workplace flexibility.” The research found that only 10.9 million employees had approved time off on Monday, while 9.4 million decided to call in sick at the last minute. Another 4.7 million employees ‘ghosted’ their employers without notice that they would not be going to work.

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