Only 52% of sickies are genuine!
48% of workers have admitted to lying about the reason for their last day off “sick”. What’s the main reason for this and how do you tackle the problem?
In the spotlight. Each year, various statistics are produced about sickness absence rates; not so long ago we were told that these had fallen to 6.4 days p.a. per employee (although this still adds up to 180 million sick days annually). Despite all this research, little is known about how much of it is fraudulent. But a recent survey by Aon Consulting has shed light on this - and the results are worrying.
Faking it. It questioned over 7,500 workers for its “Employee Benefits Benchmark” survey. Whilst its main purpose was to ask them to rate various “perks”, it also quizzed them on their attitudes towards sickness absence. Only 52% of those questioned admitted to being genuinely ill on their last day off sick; 33% put it down to a personal crisis, e.g. to look after a child, the death of a relative, or a relationship problem. The remainder gave other reasons for it, e.g. workplace conflicts or lack of motivation.
It’s personal. When these figures are recalculated to include the entire UK workforce, they suggest that over 35 million sickies are taken for fraudulent reasons. Interestingly, men were the worst offenders; 25% cited “personal problems” as the real cause of their last sickie compared to 18% of women. That said, it’s quite likely that these figures rest on the conservative side as some individuals won’t admit to lying.
Tip. Sickness absence is not a “catch-all” excuse for personal problems. If an employee has a family emergency, they should request unpaid time off and this process can be outlined in a time off for dependants policy. Look out for patterns of one and two days’ sickness put down to suspicious ailments, e.g. backache and stomach bugs. This suggests an underlying problem. Where you discover that an employee has misled you about the cause of their absence, you are well within your rights to impose disciplinary sanctions and this could even be dismissal.
For a free sample time off for dependants policy, visit http://personnel.indicator.co.uk(PS 12.16.01).
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