Long term employee sickness heavily impacts co-workers – Aviva UK Health

Nearly a quarter of employees feel a major impact when colleagues are absent, Aviva UK Health research has shown.

In addition, 71% reveal they'd be concerned about returning to work if they were off sick for a prolonged period of time

The research, conducted to identify both employee and employer concerns about absence issues, showed long-term absence is not only an issue for over two-thirds of employers (69%) - it can also have a major impact on their staff.

One in five (22%) get annoyed and feel overworked if they have to make up for a colleague's absence in the workplace.

For some, these anxieties extend further, with one in ten employees (10%) worrying that the company will go out of business and they'll lose their job if one of their colleagues goes off sick for a prolonged period of time.

Nearly one in five (16%) say they'd worry that they won't be able to cope with their old responsibilities, if they returned after a prolonged absence.

Moreover, one in ten (11%) worry that their old problem will come back and they'll go off sick again.

Steve Bridger, head of group risk at Aviva UK Health says:
"It is not unusual for an employee to be off sick for a prolonged period of time at some point during their working life.

"If this happens, both the emotional and financial strains on the absent employee and remaining team members can be huge.

"Simply having the right protection in place can greatly reduce the stresses of being ill for both the employee and the employer."

Long-term sickness absence remains an important issue for employers. Nearly seven in ten (69%) employers questioned in the study say that it is an issue for their company. One fifth (20%) of employees have taken long-term leave due to mental health issues and 24% have been absent due to muscular or skeletal conditions.