Sick staff at work cost firms more than absenteeism

Employees who go to work when they are sick cost employers far more than
absenteeism or disability leave, according to a recent study published in the
US Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

Researchers used estimates from a database of about 375,000 employees, which
included information on insurance claims for medical care and short-term
disability over three years, and combined it with productivity surveys for 10
health conditions that most commonly affect workers.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

Email(Required)

OptOut

From time to time, we will send you emails about selected products, events and services from Personnel Today and OHW+ - but you can choose to opt-out at any time. If you do not wish to receive these emails, please tick this box.

Name

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Δ

Researchers at the Cornell University Institute for Health and Productivity
Studies (IHPS) estimated that companies’ on-the-job productivity losses from
presenteeism could be as high as 60 per cent of the total cost of worker illness.

It said that where companies pay health benefits, sickness costs £144 per
employee per year.