In an ideal world, employees should be able to discuss any medical problem with their employer even if they are not immediately apparent. But, in reality, invisible illnesses are often not disclosed due to embarrassment, a lack of awareness or understanding, and a stigma surrounding certain conditions. Sadly, this means that employees aren’t able to get the […]

About this time every year companies start to lose employees to sickness and flu. It can cause a lot of businesses problems, finding staff to cover is often time-consuming and not cheap. But, with the cold mornings and warm afternoons we are currently experiencing, there is a need to have the office heating on in […]

Presenteeism is being talked about much more openly nowadays, due to the health problems related to it being much more acknowledged. But, why do people still do it? According to Adrian Lewis, director at Activ Absence the answer is job insecurity. Nine out of ten UK employees (92%) have gone into work despite being sick this […]

A third of workers have lied about their reason for calling in sick, over fears of stigma in the workplace, a study has found. Instead of telling the truth about health problems which mean they need the time off, employees would rather pretend they have a different complaint to their boss or work colleagues. And […]

More than three quarters of self-employed Brits have no provisions in place in case of emergency absences, according to new studies. Remaining mostly unprepared in the face of pregnancy, holiday and redundancy pay, micro-business owners and freelancers would value receiving sick pay over any other statutory pay. Carried out by the Freelancer and Contractor Services […]

As winter sets in, maintaining a healthy workforce is key for employers across the UK. From colds and flu spread by coughs and sneezes to cases of norovirus (an extremely infectious stomach bug), businesses should prepare for an increase in ailments during the colder seasons. Employees on sick leave, even for one or two days, […]

The latest figures from the Health and Safety Executive reveal that 1.3 million people suffered from a work-related illness in 2015/2016, costing the UK economy a staggering £14.1 billion. According to the statistics, a total of 30.4 million working days were lost to illness and injury. Of the 1.3 million workers affected, half a million […]

It’s that dreadful time of year when your colleagues start falling victim to the much-feared cold and flu season. Being sick takes a lot out of you and can be harmful to productivity in the business too. While it’s not possible to completely prevent the spread of germs, following these simple steps could reduce your […]

Four in five (87%) line managers are not given any training on how to support people with long-term conditions including cancer, according to new research by Macmillan Cancer Support. A YouGov survey of 1010 line managers also revealed a misconception; a quarter (26%) thought making reasonable adjustments to allow someone with cancer to keep working […]