Public sector sickies worry

May 10 2005 By Helen Logan Evening Gazette

Public sector workers are more likely to throw a sickie, according to a new report.

A study from the Confederation of British Industry shows employees in this arena took off an average of three days more than those in private firms last year.

Figures from the business group's annual survey of absence at work revealed that public sector workers took an average of 9.1 days off in 2004 compared with 6.4 in private companies.

The poll of 500 organisations showed that public sector absence cost the economy £4.1bn last year.

The figure would be cut by £1.2bn if the absence rate was the same as in private firms, said the CBI.

The findings also revealed that the public sector accounted for 40pc of the number of working days lost.

CBI bosses are up in arms about the situation, with its director general Sir Digby Jones saying: "For the UK economy to succeed, both the private and the public sector must pull their full weight.

"The private sector has no option in a world where global competitiveness is all. It is high time the public sector delivered for the taxpayer on the same basis."

Dudley Lusted, head of corporate healthcare development at AXA, which helped with the research, said: "There are some serious people management issues here. A healthy dose of inspirational leadership would be a start and, by creating a more positive environment, would certainly help to cut short-term absence.

"It's unforgivable that long-term spells account for over half of the public sector's lost working time when we know that early intervention and rehabilitation can have such a positive effect."

Any organisation worth its salt should keep a close eye on the absentee levels and have policies in place to make sure that workers are not swinging the lead.

But also there is a need to look behind the bald statistics and not just take them at face value.

For example, the public sector includes police, firefighters and nurses.

And given the stressful and dangerous nature of their jobs, if they are in the front line it means that they could be off due to illness or injury received in the line of duty.