Businesses urged to 'do more' to tackle workplace absence

UK businesses must do more to tackle the problem of workplace absence, which costs the economy an estimated £11bn a year, or £567 per employee per year.

That's according to Lord Hunt, who recently addressed the Symposium conference for human resource staff and professional management.

Lord Hunt said, 'Employers have a crucial role to play in reducing the number of people who become ill, and managing their return to work. Where sickness absence is not managed actively and employees are not rehabilitated, employers suffer the unnecessary loss of trained staff and the costs associated with this'.

Lord Hunt also emphasised the impact that long-term sickness absence has on employees, including financial losses such as overtime, bonuses and pensions, and also psychological effects, which can include anxiety and depression.

Meanwhile, a separate report from the Institute of Directors (IoD) has also highlighted the importance of rehabilitation.

Geraint Day of the IoD called on employers and central and local government to work together to assist the 2.7 million people currently claiming incapacity benefit to return to work.