UK workers take 35 million ‘sickies’ for personal reasons

The UK economy is suffering as its workers take more than 35 million sick days a year for personal reasons rather than for a genuine illness, according to a survey by Aon Consulting.

One in three UK workers (33 per cent) say that the last time they took a day off from work as sick leave they did not have anything wrong with them, the survey of over 7,500 European workers found.

Instead they were addressing personal issues including looking after a family member, letting repairmen into their home, grieving a dead relative or pet, or feeling down after breaking up with a partner.

Other European countries were much less likely to take days off for these reasons. In Germany the equivalent figure was only 16 per cent, in France 19 per cent, and in Denmark 12 per cent. The only country in which more employees took days off for these reasons was Spain, with 35 per cent.

Men were revealed as more likely to take days off for non-health reasons than women.

The researchers said the findings showed that employees want more flexible working or a system that allows them to take days off for such reasons without having to feign illness.

“52 per cent of Brits say they would not feel forced to take a day as sick leave if they could just be honest and have access to flexible working hours or ‘social days’,” said Peter Abelskamp, director of health and benefits EMEA, at Aon Consulting. “Of course, employers should also not ignore the fact that 16 per cent of people say that more interesting work would keep them in the office.”

Source People Management