You know what it's like working in an office. It's a bunch of people piled on top of each other and all breathing the same air. Inevitably, and through the year, everyone gets the "bug" that's "going around." This is because far too many of us don't stay home when we're sick, a fact that Anthony Balderrama bemoans on Careerbuilder.com.
According to Balderrama, "One big reason is the constant stream of under-the-weather employees reporting to work. Yes, punctual, dependable colleagues are making you sick."
While you may, at first, admire the dedication those sniffling colleagues seem to have, before long, as the sniffles start to affect you too, you may wish everyone had stayed at home.
You may think that the company you work for will crumble without your presence, this may not actually be the case. As mentioned in the article, if you are sick you not only risk the health of everyone around you, but you're not functioning at your best either. In truth, everyone involved may be better off without you.
So, stay home if you are sick. Explore options for working from home if they are available. If you have to go into the office then limit your exposure to others. And if you are going to stay home and not work, then make sure your duties are handled and taken care of.
Whatever you do, try not to get everyone else around you sick by breathing on them. Doing that doesn't make you important, it just makes you rude.