12 Nov 2019

It is late in the day for me to start sitting back down to work, I often do in the evenings to get the hours I need in and be on Mum duty but today was particularly demanding.

The children and I all seem to have a head cold, this means they need lots of extra me time and I have little sleep, when in fact I am feeling just as rubbish. I was in with my main client today and felt a little like death warmed up, but I rarely take a day off sick and I really would need to be unwell not to show up!

There are many studies which argue that, presenteeism is as big a cost in business as absences. Did it impact me today, yes and no. I found a job to do that needed me to focus, nothing too taxing but with hot drinks to keep me going I was fine. I influenced decisions and helped close off some issues. The impact for me, after the extra concentration was afterwards, I got home and straight into conversations around the house project, juggling food deliveries and coordinating children. I was very lucky to have an extra pair of hands, in the shape of my Mum to help prop me up as this enabled me to keep going but now, I stop, and it has hit me.

As I sit with the laptop on I hope that when the time comes I can help support my children juggle their lives and families in 30 years’ time, or at least can hope that working practices have changed so that flexible working and life balance is the norm not the exception in the workplace.

#challenge #100days #HR #absence