Does the introduction of duvet days signal the end of the sickie?

American companies have done it again. They’ve come up with an innovative new employee benefit that has got everyone talking. It’s called a Duvet Day.

Employers were fed up of rubbish employees’ excuses for calling in sick at the last minute, so they came up with the perfect solution. You no longer have to pull a sickie if you’re not feeling 100%, you can just use your paid duvet day to stay in bed (hence the name).

So, if you are over tired, feeling a bit under the weather, having childcare issues, stressed or over-did it the night before, companies in America are allowing staff to take a day off at short notice with no repercussions. Depending on the organisation, generally staff can take between two to four duvet days a year, already built into their holiday entitlement.

Employees see it as an added benefit as they don’t have to book the days in advance and are able to legitimately to take the day off, leading to a more loyal and engaged workforce. Employers are loving it because they don’t have to give an extra holiday day and haven’t got to deal with issues with dishonesty and absence. It is one of the employee focused benefits which has positives for both sides.

Everyone has the odd day when getting out of bed is a struggle. The duvet day is another step in the direction to a fully flexible workforce and helps employers establish an open, honest organisation, and assisting employees with their work-life balance. Could duvet days be the death of the sickie, whilst also improving employee engagement?