In the last year, the number of staff sick days being taken has risen, despite business leaders doing more to tackle long-term absences.
According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), an average of 7.6 days are taken off through illness per employee each year.
However, in the last 12 months, efforts to reduce absences of this manner have actually increased by 20 per cent.
Even so, the CIPD and Investors in People are urging small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) not to become too despondent with the news.
John Telford, the managing director of Investors in People, said: “It will take time for any change to take effect so we should not be discouraged by the fact that sickness levels have increased slightly.”
It is estimated that SMEs lose 140 million days to sickness every year – costing around £9 billion in sick pay and lost time.
Posted by the Secret Businessman