Four out of 10 workers (40%) say they have called in sick because of burnout, a poll has found.
The survey of 2,009 employees for employee benefits provider MetLife UK has concluded employee burnout and mental ill health are on the rise, although it has also highlighted that 30% of sick calls are not in fact about ill health at all.
Of those polled, 31% said they could call in sick simply “for a break” from work, with nearly a quarter (23%) using sickness as an excuse to attend an appointment.
Nearly a fifth (17%) admitted to calling in sick because of needing to look after a child, with 15% doing the same to care for a relative.
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A total of 13% used sickness as an excuse for avoiding “an ongoing issue”, 8% to miss a deadline or avoid doing a piece of work, and 8% again to get out of a meeting or pitch in the workplace.
Of those who had previously called in sick, 45% said they had taken up to a week off. A third (31%) had taken up to three days, and 17% had taken less than a day.
Adrian Matthews, head of employee benefits at MetLife UK, said the figures highlighted the need for employers to be communicating about the sort of employee health support they offer, especially when it comes to helping with burnout.
“Stress, declining productivity and a lack of engagement are all common signs of employee burnout. And with two in five employees citing this as a reason to call in sick, this could easily spiral into a larger problem and is something employers and managers need to pay careful attention to – especially as we’re at the start of a new full working year,” he pointed out.
“It’s critical for businesses to deploy regular, effective, and varied communication about workplace employee health and wellbeing benefits and other supportive policies available. Whether that’s mental health support and wellness sessions, counselling, bereavement support or financial protection.
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“Doing this consistently throughout the year will help maintain engagement, productivity, and overall happiness at work – as well as helping to remove any stigmas attached with needing a break – potentially leading to less longer-term sickness absence,” Matthews added.
