Rising workplace sickness is costing UK businesses billions every year, according to a new report out this morning
New analysis from the think tank IPPR reveals the annual hidden cost of employee sickness has risen by £30 billion since 2018. Most of this increased cost is from lower productivity, with only £5 billion due to a rise in sick days.
Employees now lose the equivalent of 44 days’ productivity on average due to working through sickness, up from 35 days in 2018, and lose a further 6.7 days taking sick leave, up from 3.7 days in 2018.
Workers in the UK are among the least likely to take sick days, especially compared to other OECD and European countries. However, they are more likely to persevere at work through sickness, which can have a productivity cost.
With the right support in an appropriate job, people with some health conditions can benefit from good work. But when compelled to work despite being ill – because of poor work culture, limited access to sick pay, financial insecurity or other factors – employees can slow their own recovery time, increase their risk of further sickness later, and spread infectious illnesses to others – all lowering productivity. This is bad for business and bad for workers, says the think tank.
Working through poor health is more common among those from marginalised ethnic groups, people in lower quality jobs and workers lacking formal qualifications.
For example, those who are Black or Asian are twice as likely to work through sickness compared to those who are white British, all else being equal.
Today’s paper, the final interim report from the cross-party IPPR Commission on Health and Prosperity, argues health and work can interact in a vicious or virtuous circle – but that we have the former in Britain today.
Polling for the think tank by YouGov found that 74 per cent of people believe the government should be doing more to support our health.
Dr Jamie O’Halloran, senior research fellow at IPPR, said:
“Too often, UK workers are being pressured to work through sickness when that’s not appropriate – harming their wellbeing, and reducing productivity. This can be because of a bad workplace culture, poor management, financial insecurity or just weak understanding of long-term conditions among UK employers.
“Our demonstration of a ‘hidden’ productivity costs of working through sickness should catalyse a change in approach. We should strive to make sure the work we do is good for our health, that we have the time to recover when we need it, and to ensure businesses both contribute to and benefit from population health. This would protect workers, boost profits and deliver growth.”
