Managing absenteeism in today's workplace

As the summer exodus draws to a close and staff return to work refreshed and remotivated after their holidays it's a good time for organisations to reconsider how they can reduce absence due to ill health and improve the health and wellbeing of their employees.

Health cash plans are a great place to start as not only are they quick and easy to implement but they are also very flexible and cost-effective. Most health cash plans can easily slot into existing benefits platforms while some providers enable organisations to pick and choose benefits to create their own bespoke plan to suit their specific needs.

Physical health

Sickness absence due to physical health complaints such as musculoskeletal conditions can cause major disruptions to all kinds of organisations. Often by the time employers are made aware of a physical health problem it requires lengthy treatment to put it right. Implementing a health cash plan is one way that employers can promote good health in the workplace and encourages their employees to take steps to help prevent minor conditions becoming a serious issue. Health cash plans can provide:

Cashback for sports massages and physiotherapy treatments to provide support for musculoskeletal conditions
Cashback for dental and optical costs to encourage employees to have regular check-ups and preventative treatments
A Virtual GP Surgery which enable employees to talk to a qualified GP any time of the day

Mental Wellbeing

Recent statistics show that it is no longer just physical conditions that top the list for the cause of absenteeism. A recent study by the Health & Safety Executive revealed that two-fifths of organisations had seen an increase in mental health problems affecting their employees and that stress accounted for 35% of all work related ill health cases. Health cash plan providers are constantly innovating to meet the changing needs of today’s employers and many plans now include benefits which focus on mental wellbeing and not just physical health. These include:

Cashback on massages, acupuncture and other relaxation therapies
24/7 counselling helplines that can provide advice and support on all kinds of issues from stress to finances
Access to discounted leisure activities in order to help towards a better work/life balance

Added value services

Today’s health cash plans can also go beyond the basics to help organisations and HR teams to proactively look after the health of their workforce by offering a range of early intervention programmes. These optional services can add real value if employers need a more focused approach to deal with absence and stress management. Options include stress prevention programmes and occupational health care plans that provide unlimited access to OH professionals.

These added value services can provide HR teams with access to professional advice and support with return to work plans and more. The importance of intervening at an early stage when employees report stress related conditions cannot be underestimated. An early conversation with a mental health expert and a series of evening counselling sessions can often mean the difference between an employee staying in work or having to take several weeks off sick.

It seems the old saying ‘prevention is better than cure’ still holds true in relation to both physical and mental health issues in today’s workplace. So if you are looking for a way to reduce absenteeism and improve the health and wellbeing of your workforce this summer then why not take a closer look at health cash plans.

Absence statistics in the UK

The average level of employee absence has increased from 6.6 to 6.9 days per employee
The overall median cost of absence per employee is £554
Minor illness remains the most common cause of short-term absence
The most common causes of long-term absence are acute medical conditions, stress, musculoskeletal injuries, mental ill health and back pain
9.9 million working days were lost due to work related stress, depression or anxiety in 2014/15 (average of 23 days lost per case).

Philip Wood is executive director of sales and marketing at Health Shield.

This article was provided by Health Shield.