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Workers taking fewer sick days
Sickness absence amongst UK employees is continuing on a downward trend according to a major survey of sickness absence released in May.
The survey of 454 employers, undertaken by manufacturers’ organisation EEF and leading health insurance provider Westfield Health, reveals a steady fall in sickness absence over the past three years, with the average employee taking five days sickness in 2010 compared with 6.7 days in 2007.
Significantly, an all-time high of 45% of employees took no days off through sickness in 2010.
Whilst recessionary effects may have played a part, the report said that the trend began before the recession, with year-on-year improvements over the past five years.
‘Minor illness’, back pain and other joint/muscular problems remain the top causes of short-term sickness absence, while surgery, medical investigations and tests, back problems, cancer and mental ill health excluding stress remain the main causes of long-term sickness absence, according to the report.
The report also highlights a continued decrease in stress and back pain as causes of long-term sickness absence. This is now a long- term trend, which contradicts public perception and highlights better attempts by employers to address the issues.
The survey shows a clear correlation between those companies with strategies in place to train managers in sickness absence and tougher absence targets, with falling absence rates. More than two thirds of companies are now achieving their targets, compared with half in 2007, whilst those companies who trained their managers are one third more likely to reduce their sickness absence.
First results on the introduction of the ‘fit note’ were mixed. 20% of the companies surveyed said it had helped them reduce absence and 28% said it had aided return to work discussions. The number of companies reporting the GP as a barrier to rehabilitation also fell significantly, down from 39% in 2007
to 26% in 2010. However, significant concerns remain that employees were being signed off unnecessarily. Only 17% of companies said that it has enabled adjustments to be made so that employees could return more quickly.
A significant number of employers reported that they were paying for private medical treatment. 39% of companies indicated that at least one member of staff had received treatment either paid for directly or through the company (24%), whilst 15% received treatment through a medical insurance scheme. EEF believes that increased private provision may prove a rising trend as the UK comes out of recession.
Professor Sayeed Khan, chief medical adviser at EEF, said: “The continued downward trend in sickness absence is welcome recognition of efforts by companies and government to get people back to work. In particular, it is striking that the companies who have proactively contacted their GPs to discuss adjusting people’s working arrangements have seen the highest level of response.
“It is also clear that doing the basics such as training line managers and GPs in managing sickness absence pays dividends. If we are to see the trend continuing to improve and the economic benefit to the UK economy this brings, it is vital that government continues to fund the training of GPs in health and work issues.”
Jill Davies, chief executive of Westfield Health, said: “The workforce is an employer’s most valuable asset and the falling sickness absence rates show that the right steps are being taken to continue this positive trend - but there is still plenty to be done.
“As a health insurance provider, we were particularly encouraged to see that companies are using some form of health insurance scheme to tackle absence rates. We envisage this trend continuing as providers develop benefits which complement the NHS in areas where provision is limited or unavailable, while also offering highly relevant health plans for businesses to negate the impact of sickness absence.”
Details:
www.eef.org.uk www.westfieldhealth.com
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – JUNE 2011 Weblines South: Bank fund ‘not the best answer’
The launch of a new £2.5 billion Business Growth Fund by a group of British banks is to be welcomed, but if banks really wanted to help UK plc they should focus on providing increased access to debt finance, says Thames Valley accountants and business advisers James Cowper ...
Reading: Green Park for sale for £450m?
Oxford Properties, the property arm of a Canadian pension plan, is said to be the prime suitor for Green Park, the major Reading business park ...
South: SEEDA sheds staff as wind-down begins
The South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) has launched a formal 90-day consultation period and put all of its 220 staff “at risk of redundancy” ...
Grove: Williams F1 to assist Jaguar with hybrid supercar
Jaguar has confirmed that it will launch the remarkable C-X75 concept car as an exclusive hybrid supercar. Jaguar C-X75 will become the British marque’s most advanced model to date ...
To read these stories in full visit:
www.businessmag.co.uk
5
Brain Tumours kill more children than any other cancer.
This is Ali’s story... I became aware that Ali had a subtle incomplete movement in her eye that only a mother would notice. Test after test. And they could see nothing wrong. “To be on the safe side we’ll do a scan,” they said. The scan destroyed us. THEY FOUND A TUMOUR – A BRAIN TUMOUR!
Radiotherapy gave us so much extra time. An amazing swim with the dolphins, a wish fulfilled. Such special memories.
Just before Ali’s 8th birthday, in the early hours our light went out – a piece missing never again to be complete.
Support brain tumour research and give hope to the 16,000 children and adults diagnosed with a brain tumour each year.
CALL:
01296 733011 eMAIL:
info@braintumourresearch.org GIVE:
www.braintumourresearch.org Registered charity number: 1093411
www.businessmag.co.uk
www.braintumourresearch.org
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