UK Workers Miss Nearly Two Weeks a Year: Tackling Soaring Absence Rates with Rachel Suff - CIPD

Episode Summary

UK employees are missing nearly two full working weeks a year due to sickness—9.4 days on average, the highest in over a decade!
In this episode of The Cashflow Show, host Clayton M. Coke speaks with Rachel Suff, Senior Wellbeing Advisor at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), about their latest survey revealing drivers like mental ill health (41% of long-term absences) and stress (26% of short-term absences). They explore the post-pandemic rise and proactive strategies for businesses.

Key Discussion Points
  • Rising Absence Rates: UK employees averaged 9.4 sick days last year, up from 7.8 in 2023 and 5.8 pre-pandemic, equating to nearly two working weeks (00:58–01:27).
  • Long-Term Absence Causes: Primarily driven by mental ill health (41%), back/neck pain injuries, and other long-term conditions like cancer (01:56–02:26).
  • Short-Term Absence Drivers: Mainly minor illnesses (78%), with mental ill health (29%) and stress (26%) also significant, often scattered throughout the year (05:17–05:47).
  • Mental Health Trends: Mental ill health has risen post-pandemic due to increased openness, global events, and life pressures like caring responsibilities; it fluctuates on a spectrum including anxiety, depression, and stress (03:23–04:47).
  • Demographic Factors: Nearly 9 million people in the UK have long-term health conditions, exacerbated by an aging workforce more susceptible to disabilities (02:26–02:55).
  • Data and Prevention: Organizations must collect absence data to identify risks, differentiate causes, and proactively manage both short- and long-term absences through supportive conversations (06:14–07:09).
  • Manager Training Needs: Many small businesses lack HR support; good management principles like empathy and flexibility help spot issues early, with signposting to GPs for serious conditions (07:38–09:32).
  • Health Benefits Impact: Providing affordable options like counseling, employee assistance programs, or health cash plans can reduce absences and is highly valued by employees (10:29–11:56).
  • Stress Management Tools: Employers have a legal duty to prevent stress via HSE tools like risk assessments and management standards addressing demands, control, change, and relationships (12:24–14:18).
  • First Steps for New Leaders: Gather health and absence data, review employee surveys, identify risks, train managers, and implement supportive policies like flexible working (14:48–16:38).
Key Takeaways
  • Sickness absence has surged to 9.4 days per employee annually, driven by mental health, minor illnesses, and long-term conditions, with an aging workforce adding pressure.
  • Mental ill health is the top cause of long-term absences (41%), amplified by pandemic effects and greater societal openness to discussing it.
  • Proactive data collection and manager training are essential to differentiate causes and prevent absences, rather than reacting after they occur.
  • Affordable health benefits like counseling or cash plans can significantly reduce absences, especially in small businesses.
  • HSE stress tools, including risk assessments, help mitigate workplace stressors like heavy workloads and poor relationships.
Notable Quotes
  • “It is nearly two full working weeks, but that is an average. Some employees might just have one or two days... but others with more serious health conditions could be off for longer.” – Rachel Suff (01:27)
  • “Mental ill health comprises conditions like anxiety or depression, which can really vary... And there's also stress, which isn't a clinical condition, but can cause physical and mental health symptoms.” – Rachel Suff (04:47)
  • “It's really important to keep in touch... Don't let absence drift, keep in touch with people.” – Rachel Suff (07:09)
  • “A lot of people are living, more people are working with a health condition than they're not, and they are managing their health issue.” – Rachel Suff (10:01)
  • “Employers in this country are under a legal duty to protect people from stress and there are really good tools available to help them manage that.” – Rachel Suff (12:54)
Actionable Insights for Businesses
  1. Collect and Analyze Data: Review absence patterns, employee surveys, and health risks specific to your organization to identify main causes like stress or minor illnesses.
  2. Train Managers Proactively: Equip line managers with skills for empathetic conversations, early issue spotting, and supportive return-to-work plans to reduce short-term absences.
  3. Implement Stress Prevention Tools: Use HSE management standards for risk assessments on demands, control, change, and relationships to legally mitigate workplace stress.
  4. Offer Affordable Health Benefits: Introduce cost-effective options like employee assistance programs or health cash plans to support mental health and minimize long-term absences.
  5. Foster Flexibility and Support: Provide temporary adjustments like flexible hours for those managing health conditions or caring responsibilities, promoting a culture of open dialogue.
Resources

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