The number of days taken off in sick leave in the UK is at a record low – but it could be a sign of something bad rather than being a positive.

The latest figures for 2017 show that the average number of sick days that UK workers take has almost halved since 1993, Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures have revealed.

At first glance, the figures look encouraging: the average number of days taken off sick per worker per year is down from 7.2 days in 1993 to 4.1 days in 2017, and that trend is continuing. Does this mean, then, that we have a contented, motivated workforce?

Cary Cooper, professor of organisational psychology and health at Manchester Business School thinks not and has argued that “sickness absence is low because presenteeism is high”. Take sick leave and you are likely to be downgraded or even dismissed. He points out that union membership has also fallen considerably over the same period and leaves many in the workforce without the protection they previously enjoyed.

According to Stephen Moss in The Guardian,  the number of sick days is a hopeless barometer of economic wellbeing. Job satisfaction and productivity are far better guides, and the UK scores poorly on both. Britain is invariably near the bottom of European league tables in terms of job satisfaction and work-life balance, with Germany and the Netherlands leaving us trailing.

Even more damaging – the UK’s level of productivity is also low by European standards, and it is significant that those countries with high job satisfaction are the ones with the most productive workers. “In a typical week, German workers could clock off on Thursday afternoon and still produce as much as British workers doing a full week’s work,” reported the Financial Times earlier this year.

You can read the report and compare your sector to others here.

FREE first advice

Have you ever wanted to just ask an expert employment law solicitor if they can help you, without worrying about what it may cost to contact them?

Get in touch

We’d like to talk to you to see what we can do to help, so please either call us anytime for free on 08000 614 631, email us or use the form below.

Together we can work out what your next steps might be...in confidence, at no cost and with no obligation.

SIGN UP TO RECEIVE UP TO THE MINUTE EMPLOYMENT LAW AND HR NEWS STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX

* indicates required
McCabe and Co Solicitors will use the information you provide on this form to be in touch with you and to provide updates and marketing. Please let us know all the ways you would like to hear from us:
You can change your mind at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in the footer of any email you receive from us, or by contacting us at philip@mccabeandco.com. We will treat your information with respect. For more information about our privacy practices please visit our website. By clicking below, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with these terms.
We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By clicking below to subscribe, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing. Learn more about Mailchimp's privacy practices here.