Business
How Businesses Are Trying To Cut Down On Rising Sick Days
The idea of “chucking a sickie” is something that many Aussie workers seem incredibly comfortable doing. Many phone in to work with claims of being too sick to come in, while others are genuinely unwell. When you zoom back and look at the national average, most employees took around 14 sick days in the last year, a staggering 23% increase over the last five years alone. What’s more, this habit ends up costing businesses $7.3 billion a year due to lost work – according to a 9News report, at least.
It creates a situation where businesses need to cut down on the ever-rising sick days, but what’s being done to solve this problem? Unfortunately, companies need to work on two fronts to take care of the issue:
- ● Prevent employees from getting sick at work
- ● Remove the need for employees to “chuck a sickie” and fake being ill
When you look at the latest trends throughout the modern workplace, you’ll find a few ideas floating around.
Invest In Cleanliness
A lot of businesses now realise that a clean workplace yields serious productivity benefits. When a lot of people share the same space day after day, all manner of germs will generate and sit on surfaces. While most airborne viruses – like the cold and flu – don’t tend to live that long when on surfaces, the problem stems from how frequently people are in the office. You leave at 5pm and return the next day just before 9am, which doesn’t give the germs enough time to perish.
As a result, people get sick because someone passes it around at work, but this can be solved with a commercial cleaning company. Businesses are hiring cleaning companies to cleanse their offices at the end of each day, removing germs and reducing the chances of people passing things to one another.
Furthermore, a lot of businesses invest in better ventilation systems to help recycle the air inside their office and prevent all of these viruses from floating around. You end up with offices that are always clean when you start the day, and always have fresh air circulating around. Both help to reduce the spread of germs in the workplace, which cuts down on genuine sick days.
Improve General Health & Safety Practices
Some employees will take sick days because they have a physical issue, not an illness. Unfortunately, this can happen as a direct result of where they work:
- ● Employees trip or slip over and injure themselves
- ● Poor desk setups and chairs create chronic back/neck pain
- ● An individual burns themselves in the office kitchen space
All manner of things can go wrong when a company doesn’t have the correct health & safety practices in place. Businesses are beginning to realise how important this is, and so they aim to improve general health & safety in the workplace. It’s all about reducing the chances for accidents of any kind to happen, but it’s also about creating “healthier” work environments for employees.
To touch on that final point, you see businesses invest in more ergonomic workstations for their employees to achieve better comfort and lower the chances of things like back or neck pain. Aside from creating a workplace that’s less likely to cause injuries or accidents that result in sick days, improving health & safety practices can stop a business from dealing with endless employee lawsuits.
Encourage Flexible Working Patterns
Organisations utilise the first two ideas in a bid to cut down on genuine sick days by keeping employees healthy and free from injuries. With that in mind, the idea to encourage flexible working patterns sort of does the same thing while also tackling the “chuck a sickie” generation.
Employees are more likely to take time off work and fake being sick when they feel burnt out, or the prospect of going into work seems like too much of a chore. It’s partly why the unemployment rate continues to rise, but companies are beginning to address this by encouraging more flexible working patterns.
Instead of working a full five-day week in the office with a strict 9-5, many businesses now let their employees work from home. This can be a permanent solution in some cases, but in others, there’s a nice split between working in the office and then working from home. The common approach is to let people work from home on Friday so the week “feels” shorter – and some businesses even allow their employees to work from home on Monday.
You end up in a situation where employees get more flexibility, which improves their mental health and reduces burnout. As such, you cut down on the number of sick days someone might take for their mental health. At the same time, you’re less likely to see people “chuck a sickie” when they have workplace flexibility. The prospect of going to work feels easier to deal with when you can work from home on a Monday or Friday.
Offer Generous Paid Leave
The elephant in the room is that many employees take sick days or fake being ill because they don’t get enough paid time off from their employers. Someone is infinitely more likely to pretend to be sick so they can have a few extra days off a year if they only get the bare minimum in PTO.
So, while it may seem counterproductive, businesses can genuinely save money and cut down on sick days by offering generous paid leave benefits to employees. If you give your workers enough time off each year, they aren’t going to “chuck a sickie” every couple of months. This is especially true if you’re flexible with your paid leave system and people don’t have to book time off months in advance.
There’s no denying that we’re dealing with a sick day problem in the workforce, but there are simple solutions to address this. Businesses need to be more generous with paid leave, for one, but they should also implement flexible working schedules, improve office health & safety, and create a cleaner work environment that less likely to make people sick. This enables you to tackle both of the problems at hand: people keep getting sick, and people keep faking sickness.
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According to the Asian Business Daily, “During the proceedings, President Trump was seen raising his glass containing the toasting wine and bringing it to his lips, appearing to take a sip. He then handed the glass to a staff member, and cameras caught him seemingly holding the wine in his mouth for a moment before swallowing.”
Trump has repeatedly said he has never consumed alcohol — a rare claim among modern US presidents.
“I’ve never had a drink,” Trump told Fox News after his election victory in 2017.
According to the BBC, Trump’s decision to avoid alcohol stems from the death of his older brother, Freddie Trump, who died at the age of 42 from complications related to alcoholism.
Trump has also reportedly advised his children to stay away from drugs, alcohol and cigarettes.
However, Bruce LeVell, a former Trump adviser and former White House small business advocate, dismissed the viral speculation in a post on X, saying, “It’s not alcohol, and I speak for the President.”
In another post, he added, “President Trump does not drink or do drugs. You want a president like that.”
Trump was on an official visit to China on an invitation from Chinese president Xi Jinping. It was the first visit to China by a US president in nine years.
What happened during Trump’s China visit
Trump departed China on Friday while highlighting several business agreements reached during the trip, even as Beijing warned Washington against mishandling the sensitive Taiwan issue and criticised the Iran war.
“We’ve settled a lot of different problems that other people wouldn’t have been able to solve,” Trump said after meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on the second day of talks.
The discussions reportedly covered the Iran conflict, Taiwan, trade ties and other major geopolitical issues. While Xi did not publicly comment on his talks with Trump regarding Iran, China’s foreign ministry later issued a strong statement expressing frustration over the conflict.
I’ve been researching companies in-depth for over a decade, from commodities like oil, natural gas, gold and copper to tech like Google or Nokia and many emerging market stocks, which I believe could help me provide useful content for readers. After writing my own blog for about 3 years, I decided to switch to a value investing-focused YouTube channel, where I researched hundreds of different companies so far. I would say my favorite type of company to cover are metals and mining stocks, but I am comfortable with several other industries, such as consumer discretionary/staples, REITs and utilities.
Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Seeking Alpha’s Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
SEOUL — Investors weighing Samsung Electronics against SK Hynix for 2026 portfolios face a classic choice between diversified stability and pure-play AI growth as the global memory-chip supercycle intensifies. SK Hynix has surged ahead in high-bandwidth memory leadership and profitability, while Samsung leverages its vast resources to close the gap and offers broader exposure across semiconductors, smartphones and consumer electronics.
Both South Korean giants posted record first-quarter 2026 results driven by explosive demand for AI servers, but analysts give SK Hynix a slight edge for investors seeking maximum upside from the HBM boom. SK Hynix commands roughly 54 percent of the global HBM market and secured about 70 percent of NVIDIA’s HBM4 orders for the Vera Rubin platform, with its entire 2026 chip supply already sold out in key categories. Samsung, traditionally the larger player in conventional DRAM and NAND, is pouring more than $73 billion into chip expansion this year to regain ground.
The memory supercycle shows no signs of slowing. Surging AI infrastructure spending has pushed DRAM and NAND prices higher, with some server memory categories up more than 60 percent since late 2025. SK Hynix reported operating margins near 72 percent in Q1, while Samsung’s memory division approached similar levels despite broader business losses in foundry and system LSI.
SK Hynix: Pure AI Play with Explosive Momentum
SK Hynix stands out as the clearer beneficiary of the AI tailwind. Its focus on high-margin HBM products, critical for training and running large language models, has translated into record profits. The company’s operating profit in recent quarters has outpaced Samsung’s memory segment, with analysts forecasting continued dominance through 2027 as HBM4 shipments ramp.
Investors benefit from SK Hynix’s tight alignment with NVIDIA and other hyperscalers. The firm’s technological edge in stacking and thermal management gives it pricing power and near-term market share gains. Shares have responded with strong year-to-date gains, though valuations reflect the premium for leadership.
Risks remain. SK Hynix’s heavy concentration in memory leaves it more exposed to any slowdown in AI spending. Geopolitical tensions around its China facilities and potential U.S. export restrictions on advanced chips could also weigh on operations.
Samsung: Diversified Giant with Catch-Up Potential
Samsung offers a more balanced risk-reward profile. While lagging in HBM, the company is accelerating investments and has already raised prices on key chips by up to 60 percent. Its foundry, mobile and consumer electronics businesses provide natural hedges against memory cyclicality.
The conglomerate’s scale allows it to fund aggressive R&D and capacity expansion without the same financing constraints faced by pure-play competitors. Samsung’s upcoming HBM4 products and planned early deliveries could narrow the gap with SK Hynix by late 2026. Analysts highlight its long-term ability to leverage synergies across the value chain.
However, near-term challenges persist. Labor union tensions at Samsung’s key Pyeongtaek campus — which produces half of global DRAM and vital HBM — threaten production if strikes materialize in May and June. The company also carries higher exposure to cyclical consumer markets compared with SK Hynix.
Analyst Consensus and Valuation Comparison
Wall Street remains bullish on both. Samsung carries a Strong Buy consensus from 37 analysts with an average 12-month price target around KRW 274,000. SK Hynix earns similar enthusiasm, with many firms citing its HBM leadership as justification for a premium multiple.
Valuations reflect differing stories: SK Hynix trades at a higher forward price-to-earnings multiple justified by faster growth, while Samsung appears relatively cheaper on a diversified basis. Both offer attractive dividends relative to global tech peers, though SK Hynix’s payout is more modest given reinvestment needs.
Currency movements also matter. The Korean won’s fluctuations against the dollar can amplify or mute returns for international investors. South Korea’s export-driven economy ties both stocks closely to global trade and tech spending.
Broader Market and Economic Context
The AI memory boom forms part of a larger semiconductor upcycle. Data-center buildouts by hyperscalers continue at record pace, with HBM demand outstripping supply through at least 2027. Traditional DRAM and NAND markets benefit indirectly as customers stockpile ahead of shortages.
South Korea’s semiconductor sector, which both companies dominate, accounts for a massive portion of the KOSPI index. The iShares MSCI South Korea ETF provides convenient bundled exposure, with the pair comprising more than 25 percent of the fund.
Global risks include U.S.-China trade tensions, potential AI spending pauses and commodity price swings. On the positive side, any resolution in Middle East conflicts could ease energy costs and support broader economic growth.
Investment Recommendation for 2026
For growth-oriented investors chasing the purest AI memory exposure, SK Hynix edges out as the stronger 2026 pick. Its technological lead, sold-out capacity and sky-high margins position it to capture disproportionate upside from continued HBM demand.
Conservative or diversified investors may prefer Samsung for its scale, multiple business lines and potential to close the HBM gap. The stock offers a margin of safety through non-memory revenue streams and remains undervalued relative to growth prospects.
A balanced approach — owning both or using the MSCI South Korea ETF — mitigates single-company risk while capturing the sector tailwind. Dollar-cost averaging and monitoring quarterly results, especially HBM shipment updates and Samsung’s labor situation, will be key.
Neither stock is without volatility. Memory cycles have historically been dramatic, and AI hype could moderate if economic conditions shift. Yet current fundamentals — tight supply, strong pricing and multi-year demand visibility — support an upbeat outlook for both through 2026 and into 2027.
As the AI infrastructure buildout accelerates, the Samsung-SK Hynix duel will remain one of the most watched battles in global tech. Investors who correctly time entry into the memory supercycle could see substantial returns, but thorough research and risk management remain essential in this fast-moving sector.
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