The 2019 flu season is expected to start earlier and last longer [1]. In the age where self-care reigns king, many people still feel the pressure to suck it up and go to work. Yet, a new survey shows that a few companies are opting to stay home.
Simple Habit partnered with Blind to learn how employees prioritize self-care during flu season. Our survey findings show:
- The majority [58%] of Silicon Valley tech employees admit they go to work when they feel sick
- Salesforce, Facebook and LinkedIn employees showed the highest amount of self-care during flu season, with 53.9%, 51.9% and 46.7% answering ‘Stay Home’ respectively.
- Paypal and Amazon employees are least likely to stay home when they feel sick with 67.9% and 66.3% answering ‘Work’ respectively.
- Level of work experience can make a difference. Employees who are newer or more seasoned in their careers are most likely to go to work even when they feel sick, with 64.4% and 60.4% answering ‘Work’ respectively.
“I always WFH until I’m fully recovered…. People may think I’m slacking, but I’m doing you a favor.” shared an anonymous Google employee.

Employees with least and most experience tend to be the ones who push through. These employees are often the ones who feel pressure to perform or pressure to lead a team.
“When we’re under a lot of stress, our immune system may be affected, making it harder to ward off illness,” says Simple Habit Expert and Health Coach Jess Cording. “When we’re going through a busy or stressful time it’s especially important to prioritize our physical and mental health. Remember, self-care doesn’t have to be elaborate or expensive or take up tons of time.”

Whether you’re extra tired, feeling aches and pains or trying to sleep with a cold, Simple Habit is here to help.
Throughout the month of October, we’re releasing new content to help you take a few minutes each day to invest in your self-care.
Ready to start? Listen to our October Self-Care content on Simple Habit.





Blind is a trusted online community where 2.8M+ verified professionals anonymously share advice, provide honest feedback, and discover relevant career information. Join the Blind community to communicate with professionals from over 70,000 companies and stay up-to-date on company and industry insights!
Source [1]: NBC News
Great blog, thank you. When I click on the link to the October self-care content I just see the regular offerings. Please advise. Thanks Julie
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Hi Julie! Thanks for letting us know. You should be directed to the October Self-Care Challenge when you select this link. This link should work: https://www.simplehabit.com/october-selfcare-challenge
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