SICKNESS ABSENCE AT ITS HIGHEST LEVEL FOR A DECADE
The CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) has reported a significant increase in sickness absence, up from an average of 5.8 days in 2019 to now 7.8 days. This is the highest rate of sickness absence for a decade.
Minor illnesses, musculoskeletal injuries and mental health are the three main causes of short term absences. Mental health, musculoskeletal injuries, acute medical conditions and stress are the most common causes of long term absences (being 4 weeks or more).
Stress continues to be one of the main causes of both short and long term absence. Around 76% of organisations reported some stress-related absence (rising to 92% in organisations with over 250 employees). The reported cause is mainly heavy workloads, “management style” as well as stress relating to personal life.
It is encouraging therefore, that three quarters of the organisations reported that they had taken steps to help reduce absences through Employee assistance programmes(EAP), flexible working and risk assessments amongst others.
"Given that “management style” is cited as a reason for work related stress by many, organisations should equip managers to be proactive in dealing with staff illness. Managers should check in regularly with their team and to spot early warning signs of poor wellbeing."
70% of businesses believe that their position on health and wellbeing is key to employee engagement and over half recognise that it is an opportunity to enhance employee retention rates. 53% of organisations have a “wellbeing strategy”. Mental health remains the most common focus of wellbeing initiatives, including using employee assistance programmes, mental health first aid training, wellbeing champions, access to counselling services and promoting flexible working. Its survey of employees revealed that over a quarter reported that their work had a negative impact on their mental health.
Source: CIPD: Health and wellbeing at work (26 September 2023).
What if sickness is a problem in your organisation?
Firstly, as the saying goes, prevention is better than cure.
As a starting point, organisations should ensure that they have designed appropriate workplace policies and procedures to deal with staff illness (including menopause, fertility, mental health) as well as having a clear well being strategy.
There are a number of initiatives you could consider to prevent sickness from becoming a problem. In the CIPD survey, it demonstrates some of the schemes adopted by employers:
82% provide an EAP
77% provide access to a counselling service
40% provide subsidised gym membership
50% provide advice on healthy eating/lifestyle
Given that “management style” is cited as a reason for work related stress by many, organisations should equip managers to be proactive in dealing with staff illness. Managers should check in regularly with their team and to spot early warning signs of poor wellbeing. Organisations can also help to support an environment whereby staff feel comfortable to share their health concerns with managers.
There will of course be times when employees are unwell and organisations should ensure that they are able to support these employees when off sick and to help them to return to work.
If your organisation does not currently have any specific benefits, consider offering private medical insurance, critical illness cover, or even a health cash plan to assist with medical and dental costs.
Clearly it is in everyone’s interest that employees’ health and wellbeing is supported at work and to reduce sickness absence. Earlier this month, the Office for National Statistics reported that more than 2.6 million people do not have jobs due to their health. The economic climate continues to prove challenging, and the government is concerned about productivity in the UK with the number of economically inactive workers in the UK up 23 per cent in the last 10 years, according to the Financial Times.
If you’re struggling with high levels of sickness absence in your organisation we’d love to help. Please contact a member of the Horsfield Menzies team to arrange a confidential discussion.