Selective reporting

One of those "reports out today" (well, yesterday actually) claimed that the average worker takes around seven days a year off work through 'sickies'.










This survey was done by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), who are some sort of representative body for business in this country.

It's not surprising to find out that 'sickies' had a link with major sporting events and hot days and the CBI claims that by bunking off, we are collectively costing the economy £13.4bn a year.

But this is where these 'surveys' fall down, because whilst one statistic says that we are all evil for costing our bosses a few quid, they neglect the very opposite views.

Whilst we might take seven days a year from work, we also happen to give back near enough to one day a week (7hrs 6 mins) in unpaid overtime. Over a 45 week working year, that means the economy is actually up by 38 days every year. On that basis, a full-time minimum wage worker gives away almost £1700 in free labour and, by the reckoning of the TUC, the collective £23bn made from these extra hours, still makes businesses £9.6bn better off.

So now you know that, you can now get back to work.