The latest report from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that the rate of sickness absences in the workplace is at its highest level since 2004.
Sickness Absence
The new report from the ONS found that the rate of sickness absence in the workplace reached 2.6% in 2022, up 0.4% compared to the 2.2% rate registered in 2021, and up 0.8% compared with the rate recorded for 2020 (1.8%). These are the highest rates recorded since 2004, when the sickness absence rate reached 2.7%
Record Number Of Days Lost
185.6 million working days were lost to sickness absence in 2022 (a new record), an average of 5.7 days per worker. That compares to 149.3 million working days lost in 2021, at an average of 4.6 days per worker. This represents a year on year increase of 36.3 million working days lost, with the average in terms of days per worker increasing by 1.1 days.
Pre-Pandemic Comparison
Compared to the pre-pandemic 2019 rates, the sickness absence rate for 2022 is up 0.7% from 1.9% in 2019 to 2.6% in 2022, whilst the number of working days lost is up 47.4 million from 138.2 million in 2019 to 185.6 million in 2022.
Other ONS Findings
The ONS report also found the following:-
- 'Minor illnesses' accounted for the highest number of sickness absences (29.3%), followed by 'other' (23.8%), 'musculoskeletal problems' (10.5%), 'respiratory conditions' (8.3%), and 'mental health conditions' (7.9%).
- The sickness absence rates increased for all age groups, and for both men and women.
- For those aged 65 and over, the sickness absence rate increased to a new record of 3.7%, up 0.5% compared to the previous year
- The sickness absence rate has been higher for women compared to men every year since 1995. In 2022, the rate for women was 3.2% (up 0.6% compared to the previous year), and for men it was 2.2% (up 0.4% compared to the previous year)
- Absence due to sickness for those with long term health conditions reached 4.9% in 2022. This is the highest rate since 2008 when the rate reached 5.1%. The rate has increased, despite the fact that half a million workers left the labour market altogether during the covid-19 pandemic due to long term health issues
- Wales has the highest sickness related absence rates (3.6%), with London having the lowest nationwide (2.1%)
- Sickness related absence is higher in the public sector (3.6% - up 0.6% compared to 2021), compared to the private sector (2.3% - up 0.4% compared to the previous year). The rate has been higher for public sector workers ever since records began, a matter of considerable concern given that these jobs are funded by the tax payer. Reasons cited by the ONS for the difference in sickness absence rates include: "workers in the private sector are less likely to be paid for sickness absence than those in the public sector" and "the analysis only counts people as sick if they work fewer hours than they are contracted for and would exclude those who make up lost hours at a later point in the week; individuals in smaller workforces, which are more prominent in the private sector, may be under more pressure to make up any lost hours."
- Those working in the 'caring, leisure or other service occupations' recorded the highest rates of sickness absence (4.3% - up 0.5% on 2021), whilst 'managers and senior officials' had the lowest (1.6%)
Other Research
In research conducted by Viking back in 2019, which involved interviews with 2000 UK workers, the respondents admitted that 38% of their sickness absences over the previous year were fake. Viking estimate that this had cost employers £5.6 billion in 2019.
Non-Genuine Sickness Absences A problem
25-34-year olds were the group most likely to have taken a fake sick day (known as a 'sickie'), with 71% admitting to having done so. The group least likely to have taken a sickie are the over 65's (25%).
Softworks Research
Moreover, new research conducted by Softworks (entitled: 'Pulling a sickie – Have rates and reasons for employee absences changed since the pandemic?') found that:
- 75% of the respondents believed that fake sick days are causing problems for employers
- 55% believe that it has become too easy for workers to obtain a sick note from their GP
- 73% believe that GP's are providing sick notes for too long a period of time
The Softworks survey concludes by stating: "Organisations are more and more aware of the damage that non-genuine absences can cause....We were quite surprised that over half of respondents (55%) believe it’s too easy for employees to get a doctor’s sick/fit note and just under three-quarters (73%) believe doctors are providing sick/fit notes for longer than necessary. This is a challenge for both workplaces and medical practitioners and perhaps there is a need to work more closely together to resolve it. Businesses may need to focus more on early intervention, well-being programmes, and ongoing two-way communication with employees. Early recognition, effective assessment, and rapid intervention are key to managing absences and can prevent them from becoming longer-term and more sustained problems."
Presenteeism
Nevertheless, the reverse of this issue is the problem of presenteeism, which remains on the increase. Presenteeism is where workers avoid sickness absences and continue to work despite being ill, due to job insecurity, concerns about long term career progression, feelings of being irreplaceable, excessive workload and a desire to keep on top of it, and the fact that technology such as smart phones makes employees more accessible and effectively on call out of hours.
Presenteeism can often have serious health consequences, with employees becoming worn down and exhausted, less productive, and are often left with long term ill health problems which would not otherwise have occurred had they simply taken the time off when they originally should have done, to recover from their health problems
In a 2021 report the CIPD stated that: “With the recent increase in homeworking, digital technology has the potential to enable an ‘always on’ culture. There’s a concern that the boundaries between work and home life can be increasingly blurred, making it more difficult for many people to switch off.“
Right To Disconnect
Given this, the debate over whether a legal right to disconnect should be introduced in the UK is intensifying, with 50% of employers and 66% of employees supporting such a measure according to a recent survey.
