Approximately 137.3 million working days were lost to sickness or injury in the UK in 2016, the lowest number of working days lost since the series began in 1993, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
137.3 million working days was equivalent to 4.3 days per worker, in comparison to 7.2 days in 1993. Since 2003, there has been a general decline in the number of days lost to sickness absence, particularly during the economic downturn. According to the ONS, minor illnesses like coughs and colds were the most common reason for sickness absence in 2016, responsible for just over a quarter (28%) of the total days lost. This was followed by musculoskeletal problems like back pain that accounted for just under a quarter (22.4%) of total days taken off. After ‘other' conditions, men...
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