Unum has launched a set of workshops to help employers spot and manage some of the most common causes of sickness absence.
The workshops have been trialled with selected brokers since April and now to be rolled out more widely.
The On Course workshops are designed for line managers and HR professionals to help them manage sickness absence in the workplace, with each based around a particular condition or theme.
The four workshops cover:
• Musculoskeletal conditions
• Stress awareness and management
• Returning to work after cancer
• Sickness absence management
The workshops are delivered over 2.5 hours either face-to-face in the workplace or as a webinar session.
Of the four conditions, musculoskeletal conditions caused the most sickness days in 2013, accounting for 31m sick days, while stress accounted for 15 million.
A report by the Work Foundation and Fit For Work UK found employees with musculoskeletal conditions often received little support from HR or line managers.
Andrew Potterton, head of proposition development at Unum, said: "Protection products will help support staff when they are unable to work due to illness, but prevention, intervention and rehabilitation in the workplace are just as important. Line managers and HR departments have a vital role to play in this but many don't have the confidence or experience to manage this alone.
"We created our On Course workshops to help equip workplaces with the skills and knowledge to handle the top health conditions effectively. We hope to make a change in UK workplaces by increasing understanding, building capability and encouraging employers to learn about these conditions so they feel confident providing practical support for staff."
