Employee absence can be both costly and disruptive for businesses. It is therefore advisable to identify the reason why someone is off work and, where workplace conditions or practices have contributed to an employee's poor health, take steps to remedy the situation.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has published its 19th annual survey, 'The Health and Well-Being at Work Report', which was carried out in November 2018 in partnership with Simplyhealth. Last year, the survey was rebranded to focus on health and well-being policies and practices, although it continues to monitor absence management trends, policy and practice.
The 2017 survey found that organisations that have in place a stand-alone well-being strategy, with senior managers and line managers who recognise the importance of and promote the well-being of workers, are more likely to report positive outcomes with regard to employee sickness absence. However, only two fifths of respondents to the latest survey reported having a stand-alone strategy, while a similar number take a much more reactive than proactive approach to the issue.
One in six are taking no measures to improve employee well-being. Only half of respondents agreed that line managers have bought into the importance of well-being. Nevertheless, more agreed that employee well-being is on senior leaders' agendas (61 per cent compared with 55 per cent last year).
The survey's findings indicate a gradual, fluctuating decline in absence rates over the past decade. In 2018, the average level of employee absence was 5.9 days per employee, the lowest level ever recorded by this survey. This compares with 6.6 days per employee in the 2017 survey. The greatest reduction in absence was found in the private services sector and in non-profit organisations. However, the average level of absence in the public sector (8.4 days per employee) remains considerably higher than in other sectors (4.0 more days than in private sector services, 2.8 more days than in manufacturing and production, and 2.1 more days than in non-profit organisations).
Minor illnesses such as colds, stomach upsets, headaches and migraines continue to be by far the most common cause of short-term absence. As in previous years, musculoskeletal injuries (including back pain, neck strains and repetitive strain injury) and stress are also among the top causes of short-term absence. Mental ill health is increasingly prevalent as a cause of both short- and long-term absence. Overall, nearly three fifths have seen an increase in the number of reported common mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression, among employees in the last 12 months, with only a small minority reporting a decrease. In line with previous findings, increases in reported common mental health conditions were strongly related to increases in stress-related absence.
Along with stress, musculoskeletal injuries and acute medical conditions remain most commonly responsible for long-term absence. Increases in stress-related absence are also associated with increased 'presenteeism' and, to a lesser extent, with 'leaveism'.
Presenteeism remains an issue for most organisations, with more than four fifths (83 per cent in the latest report compared with 86 per cent in the previous year) of respondents, across all sectors and sizes of organisation, reporting that they have observed presenteeism in their organisation in the 12 months since the last survey, and a quarter reporting that presenteeism has increased over this period.
In addition, nearly two thirds of respondents have observed some form of leaveism, with over a third reporting that employees use allocated time off, such as holiday, when in fact they are unwell. These two trends could be artificially contributing to the drop in sickness absence levels whilst masking deeper-seated organisational issues that could be undermining people's health and well-being at work, such as unmanageable workloads. Heavy workload was again reported by respondents as being by far the greatest cause of stress, but an increased proportion (43 per cent compared with 32 per cent in the previous survey) cited management style as a cause of stress.
For help and advice on Employment Law matters please contact Emma-Louise Hewitt on 0808 166 8860 or email e.hewitt@sydneymitchell.co.uk
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