National Sickie Day no longer an issue for employers

Today marks National Sickie Day, where more employees around the UK are expected to phone in sick than any other day of the year.

Employment law experts the ELAS Group, first identified the day back in 2011, when it was estimated 350,000 would claim they were unwell on the first Monday in February.

Despite this, the ELAS Group believe the day is no longer a threat to employers having found through recent statistics that absence rates on Mondays throughout the year peaked in January, November and December.

“Dealing with sickness absence is part and parcel of running a business, but it can be really difficult for companies to know if people are lying or if they are genuinely sick,” said absence management expert Adrian Lewis, director at Activ Absence.

“This research highlights the need for employers to look out for trends, such as more people calling in sick on Mondays or patterns which might suggest underlying health issues such as stress.

“Companies need systems and policies in place for tracking and dealing with absence. Investing in absence management software is one solution that can really help companies monitor trends and keep on top of absence rates.

“Recording absence properly will enable mangers to identify ongoing health issues and offer appropriate support. Additionally, the process of formally recording absence will act as a deterrent to anyone taking a sickie as people know that it will be recorded and followed up with a back to work interview.”