What is employee absence costing businesses?

On National Sickie Day

Adam Saville
clock • 3 min read

The first Monday of February, according to statistics, is the day when most ‘sickies’ are pulled

According to recent research by Viking Office Supplies, 56% of workers in the past year have pulled a sickie, costing UK businesses £5.6bn, despite the Office of National Statistics seeing a decline in office sick days in the past few years. Other research by property agent Savoy Stewart found that the top five sectors with employees that are most likely to pull a sickie are retail; leisure, sport and tourism; recruitment and HR; marketing, advertising and PR and sales. It also found the top reasons for employees pulling a sickie to be a poor mental health day, being hungover and not ...

To continue reading this article...

Join COVER for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, key trend analysis and industry insights.
  • Stay on top of the latest developments around health and wellbeing, diversity and inclusion and the cost of living crisis.
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletter.
  • Members only access to monthly programme 'The COVER Review'
  • Be the first to hear about our CPD accredited events and awards programmes.

Join now

 

Already a Cover member?

Login

More on Group Protection

Long-term sickness causing declining productivity at UK companies - research

Long-term sickness causing declining productivity at UK companies - research

Increase in healthcare benefit provision costs

Jaskeet Briah
clock 12 November 2024 • 2 min read
The myth of 100% productivity; a risk to wellbeing?

The myth of 100% productivity; a risk to wellbeing?

"We can't make everyone into robots"

Vanessa Sallows
clock 12 November 2024 • 4 min read
Employers placing ESG importance on employee benefit providers

Employers placing ESG importance on employee benefit providers

GRiD research shows

Jaskeet Briah
clock 05 November 2024 • 2 min read