Realising the value of workforce health and wellbeing strategies

clock • 6 min read

AXA PPP Healthcare's Nick Jeals discusses how companies can improve health and wellbeing strategies.

Sickness absence has long plagued the UK workforce and the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics indicate that days lost to illness are growing in number. Last year 138.7 million working days disappeared from the economy due to worker illness, up from 133.8 million days in 2014 - an increase of almost five million. And it's expensive - according to the latest sickness absence survey from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, UK employees are off work sick on average 6.3 days a year at a cost of £522 per worker.  Unsurprisingly, most HR professionals...

To continue reading this article...

Join COVER for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, key trend analysis and industry insights.
  • Stay on top of the latest developments around health and wellbeing, diversity and inclusion and the cost of living crisis.
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletter.
  • Members only access to monthly programme 'The COVER Review'
  • Be the first to hear about our CPD accredited events and awards programmes.

Join now

 

Already a Cover member?

Login

More on PMI

PMI admissions hit fourth record year in a row: PHIN
PMI

PMI admissions hit fourth record year in a row: PHIN

Fifth consecutive year of growth

Jaskeet Briah
clock 10 June 2026 • 3 min read
Private health admissions up 23% since pre-pandemic: PHIN
PMI

Private health admissions up 23% since pre-pandemic: PHIN

953,000 admissions in 2025

Cameron Roberts
clock 02 June 2026 • 1 min read
PMI claims satisfaction rises despite consumer fall in trust
PMI

PMI claims satisfaction rises despite consumer fall in trust

Fairer Finance's Trust in PMI Index

Jaskeet Briah
clock 18 May 2026 • 3 min read