The rising incidence of workplace illness is costing UK businesses an extra £30bn a year and sick days have doubled since 2018, a report reveals.
Employees now call in sick on average 6.7 days a year, up from 3.7 days six years ago.
This means the annual cost of absenteeism has risen by £5bn over this period, according to analysis by the Public Policy Research Institute.
However, the biggest cost to businesses comes from “presenteeism” – when Britons turn up for work despite being sick and unable to give their best, think tanks say.
Their report says the typical employee now loses the equivalent of 44 days of productivity a year due to working while sick.
Employees now call in sick an average of 6.7 days a year, up from 3.7 days six years ago.
This is up from 35 days in 2018, and the extra downtime days hit earnings by £25bn a year, the researchers found.
UK workers are among the least likely to take sick days compared to other OECD and European countries.
But they are more likely to persevere at work even when sick, the IPPR says.
He points out that people with certain health problems can benefit from a “good” job.
But when a poor work culture or limited access to sick pay forces people to work despite being sick, it can delay recovery time, increase the risk of getting sicker and infecting others, she added.
The report reveals that working in poor health is more common among those from ethnic minorities, those in lower-quality jobs and workers lacking formal qualifications.
The IPPR wants a new tax incentive for companies that commit to improving the health of their workers; a “do no harm” duty for employers; and mandatory reporting on workers’ health.
He describes the UK as “the (literal) sick man of Europe”, with poor quality jobs, excessive consumption of unhealthy foods, smoking, gambling and a low rate of investment impacting on public health.
And he warns that the increase in disease will mean people live longer in poor health, as well as posing a “serious fiscal threat.”
Citing analysis by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), the report suggests that economic downtime due to the disease could lead to an £8.9bn reduction in annual tax revenues, as well as increased welfare spending and higher healthcare expenditure.
Dr Jamie O’Halloran, IPPR lead researcher, said: ‘Too often UK workers are under pressure to work through illness when that is not appropriate, harming their wellbeing and reducing productivity.
‘This may be due to poor workplace culture, poor management, financial insecurity or simply a poor understanding of long-term conditions among UK employers.
‘Our demonstration that working during illness has “hidden” productivity costs should catalyze a change of approach.
There are currently 2.8 million people inactive due to long-term illness, a figure that has increased by 127,000 in the last year alone.
We must strive to ensure that the work we do is good for our health, that we have time to recover when we need it, and that businesses contribute to and benefit from the health of the population.
“This would protect workers, increase profits and generate growth.”
Wes Streeting declared war on sick leave in Britain in his first speech as health secretary, promising to get people off benefits and NHS waiting lists and back to work.
There are currently 2.8 million people inactive due to long-term illnesses, a figure that has increased by 127,000 in the last year alone.
Mr Streeting has called on the Department of Health and Social Care to broaden its focus on boosting economic growth, and has set a mission to reduce NHS waiting times so that people need less time off work for physical or mental health problems.
He has also said he will put a greater focus on public health and prevention than the previous administration, in an attempt to keep people from getting sick in the first place.
The IPPR report also says the economy should move away from junk food and alcohol and toward products and services that promote health.
He adds: “We need to think more carefully about how investments – including what our pensions are invested in – drive health and support the health industries of the future.”
Kieron Boyle, CEO of the Impact Investing Institute and IPPR Commissioner, said: ‘Businesses and investors increasingly view health as an asset, not a cost.
‘This report is a blueprint for your role in creating a healthy and prosperous economy for all.’
Paul Devoy, chief executive of Investors in People, which credits workplaces with a good culture, said: ‘All the evidence shows that there is a clear link between employers who have a positive culture of wellbeing in their organisation with productivity and sustainable organisational performance.
‘Focusing on leading, supporting and systematically improving a culture of wellbeing has long-term benefits for all employers who make that commitment to their staff.’
A Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson said: “No one should be forced to choose between their health and financial hardship, which is why we plan to strengthen statutory sick pay so that it provides a safety net for those who need it most.”
