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Managing Sickness Absence in the Workplace
Sickness absence is rising across UK workplaces, and the cost to employers is growing. The most effective way to manage it is to combine a clear, fair absence policy with early intervention, supportive return-to-work processes and access to health and wellbeing support. Rather than tackling absences one at a time, employers need to understand the causes and address them at the root.
Recent findings from the Keep Britain Working review, and changes to Statutory Sick Pay under the Employment Rights Act 2025, make this more important than ever.
What is sickness absence?
Sickness absence is time off work because of an illness, injury or health condition. It's unplanned, and it can have many different causes.
Sickness absence is usually split into two types:
Short-term absence: absences of up to four weeks.
Long-term absence: absences of four weeks or more.
The causes of each type often differ. Short-term absence is usually linked to minor illnesses. Long-term absence is more commonly associated with mental ill health, musculoskeletal problems and serious or chronic conditions.
Sickness absence can't be eliminated entirely, but its frequency and impact can be reduced with the right processes and support.
How Statutory Sick Pay changed in April 2026
Since 6 April 2026, following changes introduced by the Employment Rights Act 2025:
Paid from day one: Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is paid from the first day of sickness absence, as the three waiting days have been removed.
No lower earnings limit: the lower earnings limit has been removed, so more employees are now eligible.
New rate: SSP is paid at the standard weekly rate or 80% of the employee's average weekly earnings, whichever is lower.
These changes mean short-term absence now costs employers more from the first day, which makes prevention and early support even more valuable. For more on the rules, read our guide to mental health sick leave.
The impact of sickness absence on businesses
The Keep Britain Working review found that poor workplace health costs UK employers around £85 billion annually, with sickness absence averaging 9.4 days per employee.
Beyond the direct costs, absence can affect:
Delivery: service delivery, project timelines and customer experience.
Colleagues: the pressure on colleagues covering the work, which can lead to stress and burnout.
Engagement: team morale and engagement.
Reputation: reputation and stakeholder trust, if absence becomes frequent.
Left unmanaged, absence can become cyclical. Pressure on the people still at work can lead to more absence, which adds to the pressure.
Strengthen your absence management with 24/7 clinician‑led support through our EAP.
Key causes of employee sickness absence
There's no single cause of sickness absence. Short-term and long-term absences have different leading causes, and different warning signs.
Short-term sickness absence
Minor illnesses: colds, flu and stomach upsets are the most common cause of short-term absence [source: CIPD – confirm figure]. They can't be prevented entirely, but faster access to medical advice, for example through a Virtual GP, can help people recover sooner.
Mental ill health: stress, anxiety and depression are also a leading cause of short-term absence. source: CIPD. Employers can reduce the impact by spotting the signs early, and giving people access to confidential support, such as an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).
Musculoskeletal problems: back pain and other musculoskeletal problems are a common cause of both short-term and long-term absence.
Long-term sickness absence
Mental ill health: stress, anxiety and depression are among the leading causes of long-term absence source: CIPD. Many are linked to work-related stress, which employers have a legal duty to assess and manage. Read our guide on how to reduce work-related stress.
Musculoskeletal conditions: long-term back, neck and joint problems can keep people off work for extended periods, especially in physically demanding roles.
Serious illness and chronic conditions: conditions such as cancer, heart disease or long-term health conditions may need extended time off and careful return-to-work planning, including reasonable adjustments.
Common challenges of managing sickness absence
Difficulties with managing absence rarely come from a lack of intent. More often, they come from gaps in consistency, capability and communication. Absence management works best when policies are clearly defined, applied consistently and supported by guidance from HR and, where needed, occupational health.
Stigma and a poor wellbeing culture
Poor communication, and a reluctance to talk openly about health, can lead to mental health stigma in the workplace. When people don't feel comfortable discussing their health, or don't understand the process, they're more likely to disengage, struggle on in silence or end up taking longer absences.
1. Have a clear, fair absence management policy
A well-defined absence management policy gives everyone a consistent framework. It should set out:
how and when employees should report absence
when fit notes are needed (from the eighth day of absence)
what happens when absence reaches a review point
how return-to-work meetings and phased returns work
what support is available
Apply the policy fairly and consistently. Take care with disability-related absence, which may need reasonable adjustments to your triggers, and with pregnancy-related absence, which shouldn't be counted towards absence triggers. Acas provides guidance on managing absence fairly.
2. Intervene early and train your managers
The most effective absence management is proactive. Regular check-ins, and managers who know how to spot the early signs of a problem, allow action before issues get worse.
Training gives managers the confidence to have difficult conversations and signpost support. Mental Health First Aid training and a management support line both help. Read more about how an EAP supports managers.
3. Get return to work right
A good return-to-work process helps people come back safely, and reduces the risk of repeat absence:
Hold a supportive return-to-work meeting after every absence.
Follow any advice on the employee's fit note.
Agree a phased return or temporary adjustments where needed.
Consider an Occupational Health assessment for complex or long-term cases.
Schedule regular check-ins in the weeks that follow.
4. Help employees get medical advice faster
Long waits for GP appointments can delay diagnosis and treatment, and extend absence. A Virtual GP service, included with Wisdom Super Care, lets employees speak to a GP, often on the same day, without travelling or taking extended time away from work. It can also help reduce presenteeism, by encouraging people to get the right advice rather than struggle on while unwell.
5. Give people tools to look after their health
Wellbeing resources, such as healthy recipes, exercise routines and mental health tools in the Wisdom app, help employees look after their physical and mental health and build resilience.
Reduce sickness absence and support quicker recovery with immediate access to professional counsellors.
Measuring and monitoring sickness absence
Once your absence management measures are in place, monitoring absence helps you spot trends and act early.
Absence rate
Your absence rate shows the proportion of working time lost to sickness. To calculate it, divide the total number of days lost to absence by the total number of available working days, then multiply by 100.
The Bradford Factor
The Bradford Factor highlights patterns of frequent, short-term absence. It's calculated as S² × D, where S is the number of separate absences in a period, and D is the total number of days absent. Because the number of absences is squared, frequent short absences score more highly than one longer absence.
Use the Bradford Factor with care. Applied rigidly, it can disadvantage employees with disabilities or long-term health conditions, which could lead to discrimination claims. Treat it as a prompt for a supportive conversation, not an automatic trigger for action.
Using data to inform strategy
Collecting data is only the first step. The real value comes from using it to understand the causes of absence and decide where to act.
For example, a rise in long-term absence may point to problems with workload, stress or organisational change. Comparing absence across teams can highlight where extra support or training is needed, as differences are often linked to management style, team culture or job design. It's also worth calculating the true cost of absence, including lost productivity, management time and the impact on colleagues, not just salary.
How Wisdom Wellbeing helps with sickness absence management
Wisdom Wellbeing's Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) is clinically accredited, and designed to help reduce the risks of workplace stress and poor mental health. Employees get 24/7 access to qualified counsellors, 365 days a year. Short-term, solution-focused counselling helps them deal with issues sooner, so they can recover and return to work.
The EAP also includes a management support line, giving leaders guidance on sensitive conversations, and Occupational Health assessments at preferential rates, for clarity on fitness for work, restrictions and return timelines.
Wisdom Super Care adds further support for absence management, including:
HR advice for managers: expert guidance on absence, compliance and reasonable adjustments.
Virtual GP: helps reduce delays in diagnosis, treatment and fit notes.
Active Care: early intervention for stress-related absence.
Dedicated Occupational Health assessments.
Together, these services create a joined-up approach to managing sickness absence. They can help reduce mental health-related absence, strengthen your processes and support a healthier, more resilient workplace culture.
Managing sickness absence well is also part of your duty of care to your employees. Read more about your duty of care for mental health.
Conclusion
Sickness absence isn't just an operational problem. It affects productivity, culture and long-term performance, and it has a real impact on the people involved. Taking a reactive approach doesn't support your organisation, and it doesn't protect your people.
Clear, consistent absence management, combined with early intervention and the right support, can break the cycle of repeated absence. Organisations that prioritise their people's health can reduce sickness absence, and build a more resilient, engaged and productive workforce.
FAQs
What is the difference between short-term and long-term sickness absence?
Short-term sickness absence usually means absences of up to four weeks. Long-term absence means absences of four weeks or more. Short-term absence is often caused by minor illnesses, while long-term absence is more commonly linked to mental ill health, musculoskeletal problems and serious or chronic conditions.
What are the main causes of sickness absence?
Minor illnesses, such as colds and flu, are the most common cause of short-term absence. Mental ill health, including stress, anxiety and depression, is among the leading causes of both short-term and long-term absence. Musculoskeletal problems and serious or chronic conditions are also common causes of long-term absence.
Is Statutory Sick Pay paid from the first day of absence?
Yes. Since 6 April 2026, eligible employees receive Statutory Sick Pay from their first day of sickness absence. The lower earnings limit has also been removed, so more employees are now eligible.
How should employers monitor sickness absence?
Track your overall absence rate, and use tools like the Bradford Factor to spot patterns of frequent short-term absence. Analyse trends across teams to understand the underlying causes. Use the data as a prompt for supportive conversations, not automatic action.
Can the Bradford Factor be used for employees with disabilities?
With caution. Applying the Bradford Factor rigidly can disadvantage employees with disabilities or long-term health conditions, and may lead to discrimination claims. Employers should consider reasonable adjustments to absence triggers for disability-related absence, and shouldn't count pregnancy-related absence towards triggers.
What tools can help employers reduce sickness absence?
Helpful tools include a clear absence management policy, manager training, an Employee Assistance Programme, Occupational Health assessments and a structured return-to-work process. Services such as a Virtual GP and HR advice for managers can also help reduce delays and support better decisions.
Related entities
Sickness absence: time off work because of an illness, injury or health condition.
Short-term absence: absences of up to four weeks, commonly caused by minor illnesses.
Long-term absence: absences of four weeks or more, often linked to mental ill health, musculoskeletal problems or chronic conditions.
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP): the minimum sick pay employers must pay eligible employees, payable from the first day of absence since April 2026.
Fit note: a statement of fitness for work, needed from the eighth day of sickness absence.
Bradford Factor: a tool for identifying patterns of frequent short-term absence, which should be used with care.
Return-to-work meeting: a supportive conversation after absence, to agree any adjustments and plan a safe return.
Employee Assistance Programme (EAP): confidential, 24/7 support from qualified counsellors.
Occupational Health assessments: clinical advice on fitness for work, restrictions and return-to-work timelines.
Presenteeism: working while unwell, which can reduce performance and delay recovery.
Keep Britain Working review: a government-commissioned review of workplace health and economic inactivity.
Related articles
Duty of Care: What Employers Need to Know
Mental Health Sick Leave: What UK Employers Need to Know
Wisdom Wellbeing
Wisdom Wellbeing provides clinically led Employee Assistance Programmes to organisations across the UK and Ireland. Specialising in mental health and wellbeing, we publish practical guidance for employees, employers and business owners, including articles written by our counsellors to offer expertise from a clinical perspective. We also write for students at college and university who want to improve and maintain their mental wellbeing.
Support your employees with an EAP
With an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) from Wisdom Wellbeing, we can offer you practical advice and support when it comes to dealing with workplace stress and anxiety issues.
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