Latest news with #iSelect
West Australian
09-06-2025
- Health
- West Australian
Seven in 10 Aussies admit to faking sickie in past year
Seventy per cent of Australians faked a sick day at work in the past year when they were not actually unwell, a new study has found It was estimated sickies cost Australian businesses $7.3bn a year in lost productivity and 24.6 million days off. The study conducted by iSelect found the most common reasons people took a sick day were a lack of sleep, to relax and recharge, mental health or personal issues to deal with family, or relationship problems. The health insurance comparison service found when mental health issues were counted as personal leave, 68 per cent of Australians still admitted to taking a fake sick day. The highest proportion of people pulling a sickie were workers aged 25 to 34 (84.5 per cent). The most significant difference between men and women surveyed was that 26.6 per cent of women used a sick day for a mental health day compared with 19.5 per cent of men. Men 12.9 (per cent) were more likely to take a sick day because they were hungover compared with women (8.5 per cent), but twice as many women (20 per cent) were more likely to take the day off to care for children than men. Other excuses revealed some workers took sick days to attend a special event or they just wanted the day off for general leisure. Others avoided meetings or did not want to go to work because it was raining. iSelect general manager of health Andres Gutierrez said the research found it was very common for Australians to take a sickie at least once a year despite not being physically ill. 'A lack of sleep, wanting to relax and recharge, and mental health are the top three reasons, highlighting how some Australians might choose to prioritise self-care,' he said. 'If you're finding it tough to get a good night's sleep or you're dealing with mental health challenges, it's important to reach out for support.'
Perth Now
09-06-2025
- Health
- Perth Now
One act most Aussies admit to faking
Seventy per cent of Australians faked a sick day at work in the past year when they were not actually unwell, a new study has found It was estimated sickies cost Australian businesses $7.3bn a year in lost productivity and 24.6 million days off. The study conducted by iSelect found the most common reasons people took a sick day were a lack of sleep, to relax and recharge, mental health or personal issues to deal with family, or relationship problems. The health insurance comparison service found when mental health issues were counted as personal leave, 68 per cent of Australians still admitted to taking a fake sick day. About 4 per cent of Australians had a day off last year because it was raining or too hot. NewsWire / Monique Harmer Credit: News Corp Australia The highest proportion of people pulling a sickie were workers aged 25 to 34 (84.5 per cent). The most significant difference between men and women surveyed was that 26.6 per cent of women used a sick day for a mental health day compared with 19.5 per cent of men. Men 12.9 (per cent) were more likely to take a sick day because they were hungover compared with women (8.5 per cent), but twice as many women (20 per cent) were more likely to take the day off to care for children than men. About 4.6 per cent of Australian workers took a sick day in the past year to attend an event when they did not book annual leave. NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw Credit: News Corp Australia Other excuses revealed some workers took sick days to attend a special event or they just wanted the day off for general leisure. Others avoided meetings or did not want to go to work because it was raining. iSelect general manager of health Andres Gutierrez said the research found it was very common for Australians to take a sickie at least once a year despite not being physically ill. 'A lack of sleep, wanting to relax and recharge, and mental health are the top three reasons, highlighting how some Australians might choose to prioritise self-care,' he said. 'If you're finding it tough to get a good night's sleep or you're dealing with mental health challenges, it's important to reach out for support.'
News.com.au
09-06-2025
- Health
- News.com.au
Seven in 10 Aussies admit to faking sickie in past year
Seventy per cent of Australians faked a sick day at work in the past year when they were not actually unwell, a new study has found It was estimated sickies cost Australian businesses $7.3bn a year in lost productivity and 24.6 million days off. The study conducted by iSelect found the most common reasons people took a sick day were a lack of sleep, to relax and recharge, mental health or personal issues to deal with family, or relationship problems. The health insurance comparison service found when mental health issues were counted as personal leave, 68 per cent of Australians still admitted to taking a fake sick day. The highest proportion of people pulling a sickie were workers aged 25 to 34 (84.5 per cent). The most significant difference between men and women surveyed was that 26.6 per cent of women used a sick day for a mental health day compared with 19.5 per cent of men. Men 12.9 (per cent) were more likely to take a sick day because they were hungover compared with women (8.5 per cent), but twice as many women (20 per cent) were more likely to take the day off to care for children than men. Other excuses revealed some workers took sick days to attend a special event or they just wanted the day off for general leisure. Others avoided meetings or did not want to go to work because it was raining. iSelect general manager of health Andres Gutierrez said the research found it was very common for Australians to take a sickie at least once a year despite not being physically ill. 'A lack of sleep, wanting to relax and recharge, and mental health are the top three reasons, highlighting how some Australians might choose to prioritise self-care,' he said. 'If you're finding it tough to get a good night's sleep or you're dealing with mental health challenges, it's important to reach out for support.'
Sydney Morning Herald
07-06-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Power bills got you sweating? Stay warm without spending a fortune
Real Money, a free weekly newsletter giving expert tips on how to save, invest and make the most of your money, is sent every Sunday. You're reading an excerpt − sign up to get the whole newsletter in your inbox. As I write this on a frosty Melbourne morning, the mercury has dipped below 3 degrees, prompting the ritualistic donning of black puffer jackets and a sharp spike in the number of people working from home. I've heard it's also quite cold in Sydney but, frankly, whatever goes on north of the Murray River is none of my business. Scientists have also discovered that cold weather is often associated with thoughts such as 'oh my god I'm never going to be warm again' and 'can I do everything I need to get do today from bed?' It can also see many of us crank our heating up to ridiculous levels, which is great for short-term relief but bad from a power bill perspective. This is especially problematic for those of us with large or poorly insulated houses (so, basically, all of us, as 80 per cent of Australian houses have a two star or less energy rating). What's the problem? To make matters worse, energy prices are on the up. Power prices are set to rise by up to 9.7 per cent in NSW and 5 per cent in Victoria from July 1, after the market regulator announced its latest round of annual price setting. These rises are just an estimate too, as calculations by Canstar show that over the past six years, 67 per cent of the actual prices ended up higher than the proposed price. All in all, it's shaping up as a bad year to be cold. What you can do about it So if the chill is creeping a little too much for your liking (and it's only June!), here are some moves you can make: Shop around: You can put on as many jumpers as you like, or stack on three more blankets, but nothing will save you as much money as jumping ship to a new energy retailer. Comparison expert at iSelect, Sophie Ryan, says everyone should get on the front foot now and check how your current energy offer stacks up – including what your service and supply fees are. 'While power prices may be higher across the board and will increase further for many homes from July 1, there are still differences between retailers and plans, and even a small price difference could make a big difference to a quarterly energy bill,' she says. It's a common misconception (and something that I ramble on about all the time) that loyalty pays, but it doesn't. Your energy provider owes you nothing, and vice versa, so if another one is offering a better deal (even if it's just a one-off for new customers), go get it. The government even has a free, independent energy price comparing tool which you can access here.
The Age
07-06-2025
- Business
- The Age
Power bills got you sweating? Stay warm without spending a fortune
Real Money, a free weekly newsletter giving expert tips on how to save, invest and make the most of your money, is sent every Sunday. You're reading an excerpt − sign up to get the whole newsletter in your inbox. As I write this on a frosty Melbourne morning, the mercury has dipped below 3 degrees, prompting the ritualistic donning of black puffer jackets and a sharp spike in the number of people working from home. I've heard it's also quite cold in Sydney but, frankly, whatever goes on north of the Murray River is none of my business. Scientists have also discovered that cold weather is often associated with thoughts such as 'oh my god I'm never going to be warm again' and 'can I do everything I need to get do today from bed?' It can also see many of us crank our heating up to ridiculous levels, which is great for short-term relief but bad from a power bill perspective. This is especially problematic for those of us with large or poorly insulated houses (so, basically, all of us, as 80 per cent of Australian houses have a two star or less energy rating). What's the problem? To make matters worse, energy prices are on the up. Power prices are set to rise by up to 9.7 per cent in NSW and 5 per cent in Victoria from July 1, after the market regulator announced its latest round of annual price setting. These rises are just an estimate too, as calculations by Canstar show that over the past six years, 67 per cent of the actual prices ended up higher than the proposed price. All in all, it's shaping up as a bad year to be cold. What you can do about it So if the chill is creeping a little too much for your liking (and it's only June!), here are some moves you can make: Shop around: You can put on as many jumpers as you like, or stack on three more blankets, but nothing will save you as much money as jumping ship to a new energy retailer. Comparison expert at iSelect, Sophie Ryan, says everyone should get on the front foot now and check how your current energy offer stacks up – including what your service and supply fees are. 'While power prices may be higher across the board and will increase further for many homes from July 1, there are still differences between retailers and plans, and even a small price difference could make a big difference to a quarterly energy bill,' she says. It's a common misconception (and something that I ramble on about all the time) that loyalty pays, but it doesn't. Your energy provider owes you nothing, and vice versa, so if another one is offering a better deal (even if it's just a one-off for new customers), go get it. The government even has a free, independent energy price comparing tool which you can access here.
