What is employee absence costing businesses?

On National Sickie Day

Adam Saville
clock • 3 min read

The first Monday of February, according to statistics, is the day when most ‘sickies’ are pulled

According to recent research by Viking Office Supplies, 56% of workers in the past year have pulled a sickie, costing UK businesses £5.6bn, despite the Office of National Statistics seeing a decline in office sick days in the past few years. Other research by property agent Savoy Stewart found that the top five sectors with employees that are most likely to pull a sickie are retail; leisure, sport and tourism; recruitment and HR; marketing, advertising and PR and sales. It also found the top reasons for employees pulling a sickie to be a poor mental health day, being hungover and not ...

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 Group Protection

Benenden Health adds heart rhythm measurements to offering

Benenden Health adds heart rhythm measurements to offering

Partnership with FibriCheck

Jaskeet Briah
clock 06 June 2025 • 2 min read
Cancer main cause of claim for group risk

Cancer main cause of claim for group risk

GRiD research

Cameron Roberts
clock 02 June 2025 • 2 min read
Unum UK paid out £41.1m in dental claims in 2024

Unum UK paid out £41.1m in dental claims in 2024

75% of claims were for private treatments

Jaskeet Briah
clock 30 May 2025 • 2 min read