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Media Releases
2004

12 July
2004

Survey highlights absenteeism is problem for more than half of companies

  • Stress and fatigue are main cause of absenteeism.
  • Family matters account for absenteeism at over three quarters of companies.
  • Drink related ‘illness’ accounts for absenteeism at half of all companies.

A survey of UK companies and public sector organisations, carried out by law firm Shepherd and Wedderburn, has highlighted that more than half of respondents, 51.6%, view absenteeism as a problem.

The responses demonstrate that the biggest single reason for absenteeism was stress and fatigue with 84% of organisations affected by this. The impact of family matters on people’s working lives was also highlighted with respondents citing ‘family commitments’, 81%, and ‘family illness’, 77%, as reasons for time taken off work.

Perhaps as alarmingly for organisations though is the fact that almost half, 49%, have employee absences due to ‘drink’ related issues.

The Shepherd and Wedderburn ‘Sick Days and Absence Management’ Report also states other key causes of absenteeism as social occasions (43%), extended holidays (33%) and job interviews (25%).

Lesley Murphy, an employment law specialist at Shepherd and Wedderburn, said: “It is alarming that stress and fatigue are still the main contributory factors to absenteeism in this country. It is important for employers to be aware that employees may be protected under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) if their illnesses are long term, and substantially affect their day-to-day activities.

“Perhaps more surprisingly, the extent of family commitments and illness, the next highest reason, may suggest that eligible parents are not exercising their rights to take parental leave to attend to childcare commitments, instead preferring to “take a sickie”. Possible reasons for this are that parental leave is unpaid and that 21 days prior written notice is required from parents exercising this option. It will not, therefore, be appropriate in the case of emergency absences, but nevertheless is an option employers might consider more actively encouraging where the circumstances are suitable to reduce the cost of absenteeism and the operational difficulties caused by unplanned absences.”

The survey results highlighted that while 90% of organisations have a system in place to monitor absences, only 46% have actually introduced initiatives to combat ‘sick days’.

Lesley continued: “Absenteeism is clearly an issue in the workplace and it is important for organisations to find a balance between the interests of the employer and the needs/welfare of the employees.”

The study identified some of the approaches being adopted by Scottish organisations including:

  • rewarding good attendance with incentive benefits or bonuses.
  • “penalising” short-term absenteeism by implementing sickness policies which observe only the statutory minimum requirements of the Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) scheme. SSP is not payable for absences of 3 days or fewer.
  • a proactive approach to absence management: monitoring absence patterns and adopting a visible policy of investigating and, where appropriate, disciplining excessive absenteeism may provide a general deterrent to the dishonest taking of “sickies”.
  • keeping closer tabs on employees’ health. This might range from conducting return-to-work interviews and more rigorously enforcing certification requirements to the involvement of an occupational health advisor in suitable circumstances.

The Shepherd and Wedderburn ‘Sick Days and Absence Management’ Report was researched across more than 1000 organisations from the private, public and voluntary sector. 161 responses were received giving a response rate of just over 16%.


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