British
workers take an average of 10 days off sick each year, costing UK businesses
almost £15bn.
A
survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development reveals the
average cost for 10 days sick leave is £522 per employee.
The
CIPD said that while 91 per cent of companies view illness as a significant
drain on business, 15 per cent do not know the level of sickness-induced
absence in their organisations.
The
most common causes of sick leave are minor illnesses such as colds and flu, but
stress is reported as the main reason for long-term absence.
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A
separate survey found that less than half of all workers take their full
holiday leave, and one in five take less than a quarter of their entitlement,
often fearing that time out of the office will damage their career prospects.
By
Ian Broatch
