Linda Naimi, an assistant professor of organizational leadership and supervision at Purdue University says says employees who skip work when they don't have a valid reason hurt not just themselves but also those around them.

"When you don't show, others must take up the slack. What message are you sending? If you miss work frequently, your co-workers and supervisor may begin to think you simply don't care enough about your job or the work you do to be there," Naimi says in a statement.

"Trust and respect are earned. It can take months, even years, to build trust, but only moments to lose it. When you make excuses to be absent from work, you withdraw from your trust account."

Those who are frequently absent will have a difficult time getting sympathy and understanding when they do have a legitimate reason to miss work, Naimi adds.

Naimi says it's especially important that employees realize their worth in times of economic uncertainty and during the holidays, which is a time when people take vacation or are legitimately ill.