Redundancy threat reduces absence levels at work

The economic downturn has contributed to a 10% absence fall (from an average of ten to nine days per person) in the past year according to an Employee Absence 2003 survey.

Undertaken by people management experts, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), the survey showed that three quarters of organisations believe that minor illnesses such as colds and flu are the most common causes of absence. Around three quarters of organisations cite minor illnesses as the main cause of absence compared with just over half last year.

Commenting on the survey, Mike Emmott, CIPD Head of Employee Relations said: “The biggest single influence on absence levels is management action. However, where employees feel more insecure this can also have an effect. Job insecurity can undermine morale and commitment and so push up absence rates.

“This aside, organisations can take some credit for reviewing their absence management policies and practices over the last couple of years and adopting more sophisticated approaches. Return-to-work interviews are seen as the most effective for tool for managing short-term absence by a wide margin."

Stress is still the most common cause of long-term sickness absence among non-manual workers and is alarmingly high in the public sector. Almost 60% of public sector organisations cite stress as the leading cause of long-term sickness absence, more than double the number of the private sector.

Absence rates are also higher among public sector employees (10 and a half days per year) than private sector workers where the average is seven days.

(MB)