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58% of employers report severe business impact from long-term staff absence – Everywhen

Generation X employees, aged 45 to 60, were most likely to be off work long term at 24%, ahead of Baby Boomers at 21% and Millennials at 21%. 

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58% of employers report severe business impact from long-term staff absence – Everywhen
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58% of employers said long-term absences have a high to severe impact on their business, compared with 30% for short-term absences, according to data from Everywhen.

Generation X employees, aged 45 to 60, were most likely to be off work long term at 24%, ahead of Baby Boomers at 21% and Millennials at 21%. 

Generation Z were least likely at 14%.

Chronic illness was the most common reason for long-term absence at 28%, followed by acute medical conditions at 27%. 

Depression or anxiety related to home life accounted for 21%. 

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Musculoskeletal disorders made up 19%, and family or caring responsibilities 19%. 

Minor issues such as cold and flu made up 14% of long-term absences, while work-related mental health issues accounted for 18%.

Employers are tracking absence trends, with 89% saying they understand employee absence. 

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42% log absence details and 47% log and analyse the details. 

61% use health and wellbeing support to reduce absence, while 45% use it to help employees return to work. 

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15% do not use health and wellbeing support to help with staff absence.

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Flexible working arrangements are offered by 41% to prevent absence and 43% to help return to work. 

Mental health support, such as counselling, is offered by 34% for both prevention and return. 

Occupational health support is provided by 25% for prevention and 26% for return, while lifestyle support is offered by 25% and 20% respectively.

David Williams, head of group risk at Everywhen, said: “It is clear that absence of any duration has a significant effect on businesses across the UK. 

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“But long-term absence is the bigger issue facing employers, and this is something that needs to be tackled.

“There’s so much support within group protection benefits in particular, that is designed to prevent absence and support earlier returns to work, and we encourage employers to make use of this.”

Williams added: “Often people do not even realise all the added extras that policies like group life assurance, for example, can have. 

“These are frequently embedded within the product at no extra cost and are a great way for employers to see positive employee engagement with the benefits across their workforce while simultaneously improving their absence rates.

“Although it is positive that 61% of employers are using their health and wellbeing support to reduce absence, this figure really should be higher.”

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He said: “The same is true of the 45% who use health and wellbeing support to get employees back to work sooner. 

“Health and wellbeing benefits should be put in place to specifically meet objectives like this. 

“They are not just nice-to-haves or a tick-box exercise. They should be providing a real return on the investment by keeping employees healthy, happy and at work.”

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