Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

AbsenceHR practice

UK absence rates and costs in 2008 revealed

by Nadia Williams 27 May 2009
by Nadia Williams 27 May 2009

The average UK absence rate in 2008 equated to 8.1 days per employee, with an average cost of £601 per person, according to a recent survey by Personnel Today‘s sister publication IRS Employment Review.

The survey of 213 employers – covering a combined workforce of 961,000 staff – found that this approximately equates to a median cost of £76.50 and an average cost of £83.50 per day.

The findings showed there had been little change in absence levels between 2007 and 2008. The median (midpoint) absence rate in the UK in 2007 was 3.2% and the average rate was 3.6%, while the figures for 2008 were almost identical, at 3.1% and 3.6% respectively.

Public sector employers continued to experience higher absence rates in 2008, with a median percentage of working time lost to absence last year of 3.8%. This is in comparison to 3.1% among private sector services organisations, and 2.9% among manufacturing and production employers.

The findings also showed that absence is far more prevalent among larger organisations. The median absence rate stood at 2.6% among small and medium-sized enterprises, while the figure was 3.1% in large organisations, and 3.8% among the biggest organisations.

In terms of absence rates by occupation, figures ranged from a low of 2% among managers and sales and marketing staff, to a high of 4.4% among healthcare professionals. However, many employers were unable to supply statistics according to occupational group as they do not appear to analyse their absence data in this way.

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

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

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

Difficulties were also encountered when attempting to estimate the financial impact of absence. Among the employers that were able to supply a figure for their absence costs, 81% only took the salaries of absentees into account.

In particular, these employers did not take into consideration factors such as the costs of covering for absent staff, such as paying for overtime or agency staff. The financial impact of absence on factors such as performance and productivity was not measured by 94% of the respondents. And the same number did not quantify the indirect financial impact of absence caused by factors such as reduced customer service and missed business opportunities.

Nadia Williams

previous post
Crisis management: Keep calm and carry on
next post
BT calls home workers back to the office

You may also like

Cancer carers feel pressure to return to work...

13 May 2025

Top 10 HR questions April 2025: increases to...

2 May 2025

Employers struggling to manage rising levels of sickness...

7 Apr 2025

Top 10 HR questions March 2025: Carrying over...

2 Apr 2025

What do HR specialists enjoy most about their...

21 Mar 2025

King’s College London get top marks for HR...

20 Nov 2024

Personnel Today Awards 2024: The shortlists in full

13 Nov 2024

Charities urge ministers to increase statutory sick pay

21 Oct 2024

CIPD launches HR support pilot scheme for SMEs

7 Oct 2024

Are managers equipped to handle workplace conflict?

24 Sep 2024

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+