Sickness absence from work is costing firms £610m a year

SICKNESS absence is costing manufacturing firms up to £610 million a year.

The Engineering Employers Federation (EEF) said sickness levels had remained stable at almost seven days per worker over the past year after a slight fall in previous years, which the group said countered the popular assumption that rates were increasing.

But the study of over 600 firms showed misconceptions about the effect of ill-health and worker resistance to rehabilitation.

EEF Chief Medical Adviser, Professor Sayeed Khan, said: "Promoting rehabilitation in the workplace is the single biggest factor that government, employers, employees and healthcare professionals can address in tackling our sickness absence record."

The report also found that two out of five employees took no time off sick, while younger staff were more likely to suffer from stress than older employees.

Dame Carol Black, National Director for Health and Work, said the results of the survey supported one of her key proposals, the setting up of a so-called Fit for Work service to help firms and workers tackle sickness absence issues.