See how you can simplify your risk and H&S management, become much safer and slash administration time with HSSmart online software. MORE
Ark Workplace Risk ™
building and workplace health, health and safety, interactive real time risk, management systems, asbestos management programs, disability access, fire safety, emergency and disaster programmes, e-learning, water hygiene
40-70% H&S Admin Reduction
Is your risk management system really fit for purpose?
HSG65/OHSAS 18001 audits: You can get your risk management system audited so you can be sure it’s fit for purpose and appropriate to your needs. MORE
How to reduce H&S cost and be safer altogether
Ark outsourcing: save thousands and become systematically safer, without diluting your safety culture and systematic approach to risk. MORE
Contact Us - "call or email us, the choice is yours"
- Call us +44 (0) 20 7397 1450
- Click here
to send us an
Email
How Does Your Sick Leave Rate Compare To UK's Average?
According to a major survey undertaken by human resources consultancy Mercer, UK workers take less sick leave than their European counterparts.
UK Workers’ Sickness Rate Is Much Better Than the European Average...
With sickness absence averaging just 5.5 days per year, UK workers take far less time off than the European average of 7.4 days.
The 'Pan-European health and benefits report' by Mercer surveyed nearly 800 companies across 24 European countries. It found only workers in Turkey, with an average of 4.6 days sick leave a year, were less likely to go sick.
According to the survey, the highest absence rate was reported by respondents in Bulgaria, Portugal, Norway and the Czech Republic. After Turkish workers, workers in the UK and Spain (5.7 days) had the lowest average absence rates.
In a comparable US survey by Mercer, respondents reported a similar rate of sickness absence to the UK, at 5.1 days. Relatively few workers in the US receive sick pay, however, and workers there have some of the weakest employment protection in the developed world.
...Yet Still Costs PLCs A Whopping £12b A Year
In spite of the comparatively good UK absence rates, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) informs that sickness absence still costs large UK companies over £12 billion a year.
Absences cost UK employers £495 in direct costs for every worker employed. Indirect costs are deemed to be considerably higher (CBI 2005 statistics).
So what should you do
Putting in place policies and procedures to manage sickness absence and return to work doesn’t have to be difficult.
You may already have a policy in place but it’s worth reviewing it for its effectiveness. In particular, you might need to take a fresh look at how you...
- Work with your employees in developing policies and procedures;
- Train your line managers in managing sickness absence and return to work;
- Record, monitor and measure sickness absence and how you use that data at an organisational level;
- Keep in contact with absent employees and plan with them for their return to work;
- Access professional or other advice and treatment to help your employees;
- Control any risks to employees from work activities, especially those with continuing poor health;
- Put in place reasonable adjustments to enable disabled workers to continue to work
Open and constructive discussion between all parties is essential for successful management of sickness absence and return to work.
You are not legally required to provide a return to work policy, however it is often helpful to set down expectations, roles and procedures so that everyone is clear about who is responsible for taking action and what they should be doing.
Safer With Ark
Top brand clients work with Ark Workplace Risk to optimise their control and management of risk.
To explore how you can optimise your Health & Safety and risk management systems, just use the easy form below or call Jody Horne on +44 (0) 20 7397 1450.
