Sickness absence across the UK cost companies £19.9 billion last year, according to a new report released today.

According to the Labour Force Survey the average employee had approximately one week of sickness absence in 2007, where of 12% is thought to be non-genuine.

The regions with most absence were North West, Yorkshire and Humberside, where as Southern England had the least sick days. There is also a wide difference between private and public sector, where the average absence levels at the former stood at 9 days compared with 5.8 days in the public sector.

New strategies

From July 2007 to June 2008 5.8 million scheduled working days were lost to sickness or injury, resulting in huge financial consequences.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is working to reduce these costs along with the sickness absence. The non-departmental public body is responsible for the encouragement, regulation and enforcement of workplace health, safety and welfare across the UK. In connection to this the HSE has recently launched a new strategy, in cooperation with the Department of Work and Pension. They are at this point focusing on the non-genuine part of the sickness absence, in an attempt to separate the dodgers from the ill.

“Our key goals are to create healthier and safer workplaces, and to build competence and strong leaderships. It is also very important to involve the workforce”, says a spokesman for the HSE.

Women more absent

According to the survey women are more likely to take sick days than men. The rates show 2.9% absence for women compared to 2.2% for men.

The report states that the main reasons to absence in the UK is cold, back pain and musculoskeletal conditions in addition to stress and mental health problems.

Also, younger employees are more likely to take sickness absence than older employees:

- The age groups 16-24 and 25-34 had 2.6% absence

- The age group 35-49 had 2.5% absence

- The age group 50-64 had 2.4% absence

Among men, the youngest group were most absent, where as those aged 25 to 34 had the highest rate of sickness absence among women.

(08 December, 2008)