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06/07/2001
SURVEY FINDS ABSENTEEISM UNDERESTIMATED
A NEW survey from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has found that most employers overestimate their ability to combat the problem of staff absenteeism.
According to the CIPD’s second annual survey into employee absence, most employers believe they have reduced absenteeism during the last two years - but absence levels have actually remained unchanged. In addition, while most employers - 84 per cent - consider that it is possible to reduce their current level of absenteeism, only a minority of employers have formed realistic targets for reducing absence rates.
However, almost all organisations - 94 per cent – were agreed that sickness absence constitutes a ‘significant’ or ‘very significant’ business burden.
Diane Sinclair, CIPD Adviser in Employee Relations commented: “To discover that absence levels have largely remained unchanged highlights a gap between awareness, intent and delivery”.
The survey also showed a lower level of sickness absence among smaller companies, with the average level of absence in organisations with fewer than 100 employees being 2.2 per cent of working time - compared to 4.5 per cent in businesses where the workforce is 2,000 or greater. Family-friendly policies may also reduce the level of sickness absence.
The highest rate of absence was found in the food, drink and tobacco industry, with the public sector also recording high levels of sick leave.
(CL)
According to the CIPD’s second annual survey into employee absence, most employers believe they have reduced absenteeism during the last two years - but absence levels have actually remained unchanged. In addition, while most employers - 84 per cent - consider that it is possible to reduce their current level of absenteeism, only a minority of employers have formed realistic targets for reducing absence rates.
However, almost all organisations - 94 per cent – were agreed that sickness absence constitutes a ‘significant’ or ‘very significant’ business burden.
Diane Sinclair, CIPD Adviser in Employee Relations commented: “To discover that absence levels have largely remained unchanged highlights a gap between awareness, intent and delivery”.
The survey also showed a lower level of sickness absence among smaller companies, with the average level of absence in organisations with fewer than 100 employees being 2.2 per cent of working time - compared to 4.5 per cent in businesses where the workforce is 2,000 or greater. Family-friendly policies may also reduce the level of sickness absence.
The highest rate of absence was found in the food, drink and tobacco industry, with the public sector also recording high levels of sick leave.
(CL)
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