UK businesses are being hindered by a lack of effective sickness absence management, according to a new report from Aviva.
The study highlights just what it means to have an absent employee, with 40% of employers questioned saying someone else has to pick up their work; 27% admitting that productivity falls, 22% believing that absences impact the business financially and 21% reporting that service standards suffer.
Furthermore, 17% of employers questioned said they saw other members of staff go off sick when their colleagues were off long-term.
In a bid to keep sickness absence levels down, over a third of employers said they encourage employees to have a good work-life balance, while one in five offered private medical insurance.
However, just 13% of respondents offered group income protection.
The report also reveals that sickness absence is a significant worry for workers too as half of the employees involved in the research said that their key concern, behind their recovery, was making ends meet if they were absent from work.
Steve Bridger, head of group risk at Aviva UK Health, says: “Many of the challenges employers and employees face as a result of sickness absence can be addressed by group income protection.
“In addition to offering employers financial support, employees can receive a partial benefit if they make a staged return to work, while accessing a wide range of rehabilitation support to help aid their recovery.”
Category: Aviva News, Business Insurance News, Insurance News
