Employees overestimate the limits of their own bodies when it comes to wellbeing in the workplace, according to an expert.
People suffering from work-related wellbeing issues think they are "infallible" and overestimate the limits of their bodies, it has been suggested.
Kelston Chorley, an osteopath and head of professional development at the British Association of Osteopaths, explains many workers "soldier on" in the face of taking time off when they are sick.
He states: "Most people think they are infallible, especially when they are younger. You hurt yourself and you think: 'Oh, that'll be fine, I'll leave it for a few days to settle. It won't amount to anything'."
If people are sitting at a desk throughout the day, they should sit with their back as close to the rear of their chair as possible, not lean forward too much to look at a computer screen and also ensure they get periods of rest, Mr Chorley explains.
He recommends workers get up from their chair and move around, stretching, twisting and bending their spines as they do so in order to encourage "a little bit of circulation" around the spine.
According to the annual Absence Management survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development - which was published in July 2008 - sickness absence cost the UK economy a total of £666 per employee in 2007, an increase from £659 the previous year.
It also found that employers estimated that 12 per cent of staff absences were "sickies", with many workers being absent on Mondays and Fridays. In the public sector, stress was identified as the main reason for people taking time off.
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