June 2008

Download PDF

Download Word doc

Email

Print

A nation of hy-pet-chondriacs

400,000 British workers suffering from ‘Slocombe Syndrome’

- A quarter of UK bosses know their employees are using pets to skip work
- One in two workers aware of ‘poorly pet’ scams in their office

New research released today from MORE TH>N shows an increasing number of Brits are inventing ill and dying animal stories in an attempt to pull sickies and get out of work.

According to the statistics, almost a quarter (23%) of UK bosses are aware of pets being used by workers for an unauthorised day under the duvet - and are bracing themselves for an increase in illegitimate sick days over the summer as a new epidemic, ‘Slocombe syndrome’, kicks in.

The syndrome - named after Mrs Slocombe from hit 1970s comedy Are You Being Served? who famously repeatedly used her sick pussycat as an excuse to get out of work - has been identified by bosses throughout the UK. 400,000 British workers are suffering from the syndrome, having used a pet as an excuse for a free day off. One in two workers (48%) admit to being aware of ‘poorly pet’ scams in their workplace.

The statistics also reveal that two thirds of bosses (59%) say they are extremely suspicious of pet-related excuses - workers bunking off due to hangovers is the only thing that riles them more. Two thirds (63 per cent) of UK bosses also report that their staff are more likely to pull unauthorised sickies over the summer.

Mel Everest spokesperson for MORE TH>N comments “People really should think twice before making the sick pet call. For those people who actually own a pet, there will come a time when they really do need to take time off to care for them, which is why it’s so important to have the right insurance in place. For legitimate pet illnesses, MORE TH>N Pet Insurance is designed to make the whole process less stressful and give owners peace of mind. We even give customers access to qualified vet nurses day or night who can tell them if they need to take their pet to the vet, or take a day off to look after them, which is good news for UK bosses.”

The findings also reveal that Londoners are the most likely to make up a sick pet excuse to take a day off work, with Cardiff, Norwich and Liverpool also faring badly. Geordies are the most unlikely workers in the UK to use a pet to pull a sickie.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE: WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?