Doctors hold key to fitter workforce

Jun 8 2010 Sarah Green, CBI North East

IN the current economic and political environment, efficiency and productivity are key to the competitiveness of the private and public sector.

It is therefore great news that the CBI/Pfizer absence and workplace health survey showed that the rate of absence is the lowest since the survey began in 1987, and down slightly from 6.7 days per employee in 2007, the previous surveyed year.

The impact of staff absence is considerable, with the 180 million sick days costing employers about £16.8bn in 2009, plus indirect costs like reductions in customer service and delays to teamwork.

The rate of employee absence has come down, but it still costs the economy billions of pounds a year.

If absence levels across the board could be reduced by 10%, the economy would see annual savings of just under £1.7bn.

In the public sector, employees took more sick days, with an average of 8.3 days per year, which is 43% higher than the private-sector figure of 5.8 days.

The public sector’s record improved since the last CBI absence survey covering 2007, when the average was nine days.

The recent CBI report Time for Action suggested that progress towards private sector absence levels could save £5.5bn by 2015-16.

Long-term absence is a particular problem. Back pain and mental health issues are key causes of long-term absence, according to the survey.

Unfortunately, so-called “sickies” remain a problem.

The senior HR staff surveyed at 241 public and private-sector organisations estimated that around 15%, or 27 million sick days weren’t genuine, and cost the country £2.5bn a year.

The survey also shows that larger organisations had higher rates of absence than small ones, and that firms have increased their use of structured rehabilitation plans to help people with longer-term illnesses back to work.

While employers view loss of productivity as the main impact of absence, as this report highlights, the economic consequences stretch much further and as such, we as a society, need to do more to advance health and wellness at every stage of life.

Asked what the government could do to help, responses were focused on doctors, with 63% of employers wanting to see better occupational health training for GPs, 56% wanting to see better working relationships between GPs and occupational health professionals, and 41% wanting more flexible GP working hours.

Sarah Green is regional director, CBI North East