As workplace absences hit a 10-year high, some anonymous managers are raising their eyebrows and shaking their heads at what they perceive as a lack of dedication from their employees. A recent report reveals that stress is the leading cause of long-term sickness, and the average worker now takes a whopping 7.5 days off sick per year, up from 5.5 days a decade ago. But is it all just an excuse to catch some extra z’s?

Well, folks, brace yourselves for the truth – more than 8,000 passengers at Gatwick Airport are currently facing flight delays and cancellations due to a shortage of staff. That’s right, 50 flights have either been grounded or never got off the ground. National Air Traffic Services (Nats) tells us that it’s all due to “short-notice staff sickness, including some incidences of Covid.”

Now, back in my day, when you had a job to do, you did it, rain or shine, and you certainly didn’t let a little stress get in the way. But it seems like the modern workforce has a different perspective. They’re quick to call in “sick” and disrupt our holiday plans to Marbella.

Dozens of easyJet flights were caught in the crossfire of this so-called “disruption.” But what about our disrupted plans? Who’s looking out for us, the hardworking holidaymakers who just want to soak up the sun without worrying about delays?

The rise in stress-related sick days and the inconvenience it causes are certainly frustrating for many of us who remember a time when you didn’t dare take a day off unless you were on your deathbed.

So, the next time someone mentions stress as the reason for their sick day, maybe it’s time to remind them of the good old days when work ethic meant showing up, no matter what. After all, we oldies know a thing or two about hard work and dedication, and we certainly didn’t let stress get the best of us.