Despite efforts, a significant number of employers still struggle to document the impact of sickness absence effectively.
- Eighty-two percent of employers now record sickness absence, a slight rise from previous years, yet room for improvement remains.
- Hybrid working introduces challenges in accurately tracking absenteeism, as many employees work from home.
- Understanding the reasons behind absenteeism can lead to better support and health interventions for employees.
- Proper documentation of absence helps in cost management, productivity enhancement, and strategic planning.
New research from GRiD highlights a slow but positive trend in employers’ recording of sickness absence, with eighty-two percent now doing so—up from eighty percent in 2023. However, the improvement is slight when compared to 2022, where the figure stood at eighty-five percent. The study underlines that sixty-nine percent of employers record the impact of these absences, marking a notable increase from fifty-nine percent the previous year.
Commenting on these findings, Katharine Moxham from GRiD stated that while employers are making efforts to improve data collection on sickness absence, nearly a third are still not accounting for the impact of these absences. She emphasised that the inability to track this data efficiently can hinder employers’ capability to support staff adequately with health and wellbeing benefits.
The shift towards hybrid working models has exacerbated challenges in recording sickness absence. A significant seventy-two percent of employers acknowledged that remote work can obscure the visibility of employee sickness. Moxham noted that despite some progress in 2024, up to a fifth of businesses are not monitoring absence periods, and nearly thirty percent fail to assess the consequent impact, which are crucial aspects for managing staff well-being and organisational efficiency.
Recording the reasons and impacts of absences is pivotal for addressing underlying issues such as mental health or musculoskeletal problems and tailoring support accordingly. Moreover, documenting sickness absence can reveal patterns and trends, enabling employers to take effective interventions where necessary, such as specific departments or roles experiencing higher absence rates.
Among businesses that understand the importance of documenting absence impacts, the key metrics include the financial costs of sick pay, lost productivity, and indirect costs like management and training time. These metrics provide a comprehensive overview of the economic and operational repercussions of sickness absence, which are essential for strategic planning.
The ability to effectively record and analyse sickness absence data remains instrumental for employers aiming to enhance organisational health and productivity.
