Sickness and Absence

Each year, we are confronted with ever-increasing statistics of how much sickness absence costs organisations. The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) currently places the loss at just under £600 per employee every year, with the CBI estimating a total loss to UK organisations as high as £13.4 billion in 2006.

Even more concerning is that these statistics are usually restricted to the measureable direct costs of absence such as sick pay and replacement labour fees. The immeasurable costs of productivity loss, rescheduling and retasking pushes the figure much higher.

Whereas the occasional sick day is largely unavoidable, long-term or higher than normal levels of short-term absence pose a much greater cost threat. And for that, Vitality Healthcare offers a range of services that can dramatically reduce the level of sickness, absence and the associated cost. As a result, our assistance could also help increase the productivity of your workforce.

Preventative Measures

To prevent sickness and absence, we provide:

Pre-placement health assessments to determine that recruitment candidates are suitable for the role they are applying for and that their health will not be adversely affected by it. Learn more

Assessments to monitor the health of employees, through which we deliver practical advice to address any identified areas of concern. Learn more

Ongoing occupational health consultancy that delivers instant counsel on employee sickness and absence issues, as and when they arise. Learn more

A range of education services that can greatly increase employee health and wellbeing awareness. These can be delivered using printed/online literature, training or a range of innovative and memorable delivery methods such as tailored health awareness programmes. Learn more

Helping Employees Back to Work

Our aim with longer-term absence is to facilitate a return to work for the employee as quickly as possible. Even if initially only in a limited capacity, this can begin to alleviate the cost of absence for the employer as well as rebuild the confidence of the employee.

After gathering initial information about the situation – usually by way of a simple referral questionnaire – the employee will meet with one of our specialist consultants. Together, they will explore options and, particularly in the case of employees who exhibit higher than normal levels of short-term absence, identify potential root causes.

The consultant will then prepare a concise report and help to determine an appropriate course of action that serves the best interests of employer and employee.

Get in Touch

To learn more about our approach to sickness and absence, or to discuss a specific issue or requirement, please contact our team on 0800 294 6797 or by This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .