Speaking to Personnel Today recently, underwear entrepreneur Michelle Mone said that we are at risk of becoming "lazy Britain" - and according to the latest CBI/ AXA absence survey, of the 127 million days lost to absence in 2007, more than one in 10 (12%) were thought to have been non-genuine.
Mone admits that in her parents' day it was "just work, work, work" but says that she wants her employees to want to go to work, and want to contribute to the company they work for.
The 21 million "sickies" covered in the report cost the economy £1.6bn last year, with 65% of employers assuming that staff are using them to extend weekends and 60% to extend holidays. Over a third suspected that sickies are used for special events like birthdays and major football games.
According to Susan Anderson, CBI director of HR policy, "Everyone agrees that sick people need time off work. But people who awarded themselves sickies to enjoy the recent sunny weather or to extend a weekend away are acting unfairly, leaving their colleagues to pick up their work, and costing taxpayers and employers over a billion pounds a year."
Overall absence from work cost the UK economy £13.2 billion last year, with the average employee taking almost seven (6.7) days off sick, while the gulf between absence rates in the public sector and the private sector grew to a record level, according to the research.
In 2007 the average direct cost of absence was £517 per employee - or 3.1% of payroll - which includes lost production and the expense of covering absence with temporary staff or overtime. The CBI also estimates that indirect costs, such as lower customer satisfaction, add another £263 per employee per year. When these indirect costs are added to the direct cost, the UK lost £19.9bn to absence in 2007.
More than two thirds of organisations (69%) said they have a well-being policy, which encourages staff to lead healthier, happier lives, and 70% felt that "praise for a job well done" is the most important factor in raising staff morale. Yet while 68% of private employers believe morale is good or satisfactory in their organisations, only 54% of public employers agreed.
Why are the British so work-shy? How did this "not having to go to work" culture evolve, and what can be done to remedy the situation?
Comments (2)
Posted by Sally Winston | May 22, 2008 10:41 AM
It’s easy to recognise ‘engaged’ employees, they’re the ones who put in extra effort and genuinely feel they can impact company success. We’ve seen time and again that disengagement is linked to less effort and greater levels of absenteeism. Employers should not overlook the fact that engaged employees consistently pick up the slack for colleagues who aren’t there and they should find ways to recognise this contribution; perhaps by being more flexible with their leave. This will ensure that the engaged employees don’t burn out and feel the need to take sick time themselves.
Posted on May 22, 2008 10:41
Posted by Ron Eldridge | May 22, 2008 10:44 AM
While absenteeism is a genuine issue, underperformance and high attrition cost organisations far more. Instead of introducing measures that lead to managing by the lowest common denominator, we would encourage organisations to focus on the positive challenge of engaging their wider workforce. Organisations need to invest in understanding what engages their employees and enhancing these factors – as well as developing management capability to appropriately address issues such as absenteeism.
Posted on May 22, 2008 10:44