Staff absences lowest in private sector

Staff absences cost the economy over £13bn last year, but levels at private sector organisations are 30% lower than in the public sector, new figures reveal.

Joint research by AXA and the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) reveals that though the total number of days lost through absence across the economy fell by 4 million days last year, the current rate of change in the public sector would take 30 years to reach the six-day average absence rate per employee in the private sector.

Absence among public sector firms dropped from an average of 8.9 days in 2002 to 8.5 days in this year’s survey.

According to the CBI, the survey suggests that ‘culture of absenteeism’ still exists in many workplaces across both sectors.

Employers claimed that 13% of days their employees lost to sickness in 2005 were ‘non-genuine’, with nearly three-quarters stating that such absenteeism could be linked to Mondays and Fridays.

Overall, firms paid out £531 per employee in absence costs last year. That figure accounts for the salaries of absent staff, paying overtime and providing temporary cover.

“The huge cost of absence to the economy shows why so many CEOs declare that their people are their most important asset,” John Cridland, CBI deputy director-general.

“Hard work by companies to manage absence is clearly paying off, with overall absence coming down. But so much more can still be done.

“But there is clearly concern that a culture of absenteeism still exists in some workplaces and this must change.”

However, Brendan Barber, general secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), added that the best way for employers to cut down on non-genuine absences is to trust staff and treat them like grown-ups.

With concerns brewing over high numbers of staff absences during the World Cup competition, Barber suggested that “Most of next month’s World Cup games are in the evening, so despite CBI concerns, few employees are likely to throw football induced ‘sickies’.

“Sensible employers will be allowing their employees who are in work the flexibility to organise their work around games or will be installing temporary screens in the office.”