With businesses analysing their employment figures and staff attendance statistics during the tough economic climate it has highlighted the importance of implementation Absence Management Software.
Recent research by PWC estimated that absences as a result of ill health were costing the UK economy £29 Billion a year and the average British worker takes 9.1 sick days per year.
This figure is double what American workers take off (4.9 days) and nearly four times more than Asian countries (2.1 days.This is nearly twice as many as their counterparts in the US (4.9 days) and four times more than employees in the Asia Pacific region (2.2 days), while in western Europe people typically take off 7.3 days a year.
Of these 9.1 days about 90% were taken up by sickness and the other 10% was made up of compassionate leave or Industry action.
The UK’s total absence bill is £31.1 billion, £28.8 billion of which can be attributed to sick days.
Jon Andrew (HR at PWC), said sickness absence remains a "significant drain" on the UK economy.
He suggested that British workplaces could address absence problems by improving staff moral and health.
"This is particularly relevant for start-ups and small to medium-sized enterprises, where the cost of absence can be particularly crippling."
