Sickness absence is estimated to have cost the UK economy £81.3bn in 2018.
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Workers in London took fewer sick days than anywhere else in the UK on average, a new report by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) has revealed.
Sickness absence is estimated to have cost the UK economy £81.3bn in 2018.
A spokesperson for the ONS told City News that one of the main reasons London has such a low sickness rate is because of the high proportion of people in the private sector. Private organisations have far lower sickness absence rates than public sector bodies.
City News also asked London professionals why they appear to be less inclined to call in sick.
The two most common reasons offered were high living costs in the city, and competitive workplaces and job markets. Workers were concerned that a high focus on career success in urban centres might mean people push themselves too hard.
The ONS study also shows that the number of sicks days taken per year throughout the UK has gradually declined since 2007.
Director of the Institute for Employment Studies, Jim Hillage, attributes some of the country-wide decline in rates to modern employers valuing the healthiness of their workplace. He says that better preventative measures are being taken, which might contribute to a healthier workforce.
Harry Murray, a recruitment consultant, believes that employers are not paying enough attention to workplace health. He worries that a “vicious cycle” is created where employees stay at work when ill for fear of reprimand.
The ONS publication makes clear that sickness absence rates are declining overall, with no part of the UK as absence-averse as London. But it’s still unclear whether the drop in sick days is the result of healthier employees or a demanding workplace that makes employee absence increasingly difficult.
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HeadlineLondoners have lowest sickness absence rate in the UK
Short HeadlineSick days less common among Londoners
StandfirstSickness absence is estimated to have cost the UK economy £81.3bn in 2018.
The days of pulling a sicky seem to be over. At least this seems to be the case for Londoners. According to a report released by the Office for National Statistics on Wednesday, workers in the capital took more than one fewer sick day in 2018, on average, than workers elsewhere in the UK.
Sickness absence is estimated to have cost the UK economy £81.3bn in 2018. But this is not necessarily a cost felt by the employees themselves. So why do Londoners take so few sick days?
A spokesperson for the ONS told City News that one of the main reasons London has such a low sickness rate is because of the high proportion of people in the private sector. Private organisations have far lower sickness absence rates than public sector bodies.
City News also asked London professionals why they appear to be less inclined to call in sick. The two most common reasons offered were high living costs in the city, and competitive workplaces and job markets. Workers were concerned that a high focus on career success in urban centres might mean people push themselves too hard.
The ONS study also shows that the number of sicks days taken per year throughout the UK has gradually declined since 2007.
Director of the Institute for Employment Studies, Jim Hillage, attributes some of the country-wide decline in rates to modern employers valuing the healthiness of their workplace. He also writes that better preventative measures are being taken, which might contribute to a healthier workforce.
Harry Murray, a recruitment consultant, believes that employers are not paying enough attention to workplace health. He worries that a “vicious cycle” is created where employees stay at work when ill for fear of reprimand.
The ONS publication makes clear that sickness absence rates are declining overall, with no part of the UK as absence-averse as London. But it’s still unclear whether the drop in sick days is the result of healthier employees or a demanding workplace that makes employee absence increasingly difficult.
Workers in London took fewer sick days than anywhere else in the UK on average, a new report by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) has revealed.
Sickness absence is estimated to have cost the UK economy £81.3bn in 2018.
A spokesperson for the ONS told City News that one of the main reasons London has such a low sickness rate is because of the high proportion of people in the private sector. Private organisations have far lower sickness absence rates than public sector bodies.
City News also asked London professionals why they appear to be less inclined to call in sick.
The two most common reasons offered were high living costs in the city, and competitive workplaces and job markets. Workers were concerned that a high focus on career success in urban centres might mean people push themselves too hard.
The ONS study also shows that the number of sicks days taken per year throughout the UK has gradually declined since 2007.
Director of the Institute for Employment Studies, Jim Hillage, attributes some of the country-wide decline in rates to modern employers valuing the healthiness of their workplace. He says that better preventative measures are being taken, which might contribute to a healthier workforce.
Harry Murray, a recruitment consultant, believes that employers are not paying enough attention to workplace health. He worries that a “vicious cycle” is created where employees stay at work when ill for fear of reprimand.
The ONS publication makes clear that sickness absence rates are declining overall, with no part of the UK as absence-averse as London. But it’s still unclear whether the drop in sick days is the result of healthier employees or a demanding workplace that makes employee absence increasingly difficult.
