Sicknote Britain! Workers take an average of 7.8 days off with illness in a year as figures hit their highest level since 2008
- Official data shows the number of long-term sick has reached 2.6 million
Employees in Britain are taking an average of 7.8 days off sick per year, a figure that has reached its highest level since 2008, according to official data from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).
This increase in sick leave is a significant shift from the record low seen just before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Interestingly, public sector workers tend to take more sick leave, averaging 10.6 days per year, compared to their private sector counterparts who take 5.8 days off per year. However, both sectors have experienced notable increases.
This rise in sick leave highlights the challenge faced by government officials as they strive to address the issue of “economic inactivity.” A significant portion of the working-age population is neither employed nor actively seeking employment, with long-term sickness being a contributing factor.
Official data reveals that the number of individuals classified as economically inactive has reached a record high of 2.6 million.
Employees took an average of 7.8 days off sick over the past year – the highest level since 2008
The large number of economically inactive individuals, which accounts for over a fifth of the working-age population at 8.8 million, can lead to wage increases and inflationary pressures, posing challenges for businesses.
Compared to other advanced economies, the UK has a lower employment rate and higher economic inactivity rates as a result of this issue.
The CIPD analyzed data from 918 organizations representing 6.5 million employees to derive these figures, which encompass short and long-term sickness-related absences.
Stress has become a growing concern, with 75% of employers reporting it as a common cause of absences in the past year. Additionally, more than a third of managers still attribute short-term absences to Covid-19.
Rachel Suff, representative of the CIPD, expressed concern over the significant rise in absences across all sectors, stating that external factors like the pandemic and the cost of living crisis have had a profound impact on people’s well-being.
According to the CIPD, minor illnesses were the leading cause of short-term absences, followed by musculoskeletal injuries and mental health issues. Mental health problems were also the primary cause of long-term sickness, along with acute medical conditions.
A separate report from the Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM) revealed a rise in long-term sickness among women as early as 2014, with a similar trend among men starting in 2019.
Nick Pahl, the Chief Executive of SOM, emphasized the urgent concern over the historically high number of individuals on long-term sick leave, urging the government to address this issue promptly.
Recently, former Bank of England chief economist Andy Haldane warned of the challenges faced by the “sandwich generation” aged between 35 and 50, as older and younger individuals drop out of the workforce.
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