UK absenteeism rises by 10 million days - ONS

One in three sick days taken by mid-life employees

UK absenteeism rises by 10 million days - ONS
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ONS report shows that 141 million days of work were lost due to sickness in 2018

Latest figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) have revealed that 10 million more sickness days were taken in UK during 2018 than the previous year, with mid-life workers experiencing the highest rate of absenteeism in the UK.

More than one-in-three (37%, 52 million) of the 141 million lost days were attributed to workers aged 50-64. This is despite this age group representing just 28% of the total working population.

Alistair McQueen, head of savings & retirement at Aviva said: "There are more mid-life workers in employment than ever before, and they represent our fastest growing working age group. Over the past decade the total number of workers in the UK has risen by 3.6 million."

According to ONS, two million (56%) of this increase has been registered in the mid-life 50-64 age group.

"It is worrying that our fastest growing age group of workers is also suffering the most with their health, while it has also been reported that this age group is the least happy and most anxious in the UK. Our ‘sandwich generation' is under strain," he said.

"Little is more important that our health. A fast-growing population of mid-life workers is to be welcomed. We need the talents of all ages. But a fast growing poorly population of workers is not good for the individual and not good for the country."

Less presenteeism?

Paul Avis, marketing director at Canada Life Group Insurance saw the overall increase in absenteeism as a positive sign: "The uptick in the number of sickness absence days taken by UK employees this year is a welcome contrast to last year's data, which represented the lowest number since the series began in 1993," he said. "It hopefully signifies that employees are starting to realise the importance of taking the time to rest and recover from illness."

According to the Thriving at Work report, presenteeism costs the UK economy £26bn a year and, according to Avis, the explosion in technology means we are "always on" which can be a burden on productivity.

He said Canada Life research suggests that nine in 10 workers have gone into work while ill.

"While minor illness remains the predominant reason for sickness absence in each age group, mental health as a cause of sickness absence has increased by around 50% over two years," he said. "We found that the equivalent of 6.2 million people have gone into work while feeling mentally unwell in 2018, as workers confess they are more embarrassed to take time off for mental health problems than physical ones - despite their potentially debilitating effects."

He added that employers should ensure they provide group income protection with added value services such as employee assistance programmes to support staff wellbeing and improve staff productivity.

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