More than a fifth of employers do not have the appropriate infrastructure in place to record sickness absence, according to a new report.
The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) found that bigger companies reported larger numbers of sickness absence than small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
Entitled Health and Wellbeing at Work, the report revealed that 48 per cent of respondents has taken sick leave in the previous 12 months.
However, that was effectively countered by the 42 per cent of people who said that they had gone into work in the previous 12 months when really they should have reported in sick.
Worryingly, two-thirds of employers had not taken any actions to help employees with health problems stay in work or return back to the office.
Eugene Farrell, key accounts manager at AXA PPP, told HR Magazine his thoughts about the report’s findings.
“Whilst it’s encouraging that the overwhelming majority of employers (88 per cent) appreciate that they have a responsibility to encourage employees to be physically and mentally healthy, it is discouraging that only 57 per cent were convinced that investing in this is worth the candle – testament to the continuing challenge to service providers to make a more compelling business case for their services.”
Recent research from Legal & General has suggested that 83 per cent of employers don’t offer stress management or support to employees.
