Stress - the most common cause of absence

Over one third (35%) of employers identify stress and anxiety as the most common reason for sickness absence and this could also be the cause of higher levels of absence in the public sector, a CIPD study has shown.  

CIPD adviser Dr Jill Miller said that there are numerous reasons why public sector workers might be more likely to become ill - particularly through stress or anxiety.

She said: "Compared to the private sector, more public sector employees are in challenging, public-facing roles such as social work, policing, teaching and nursing where they often have to deal with people in difficult and emotionally charged situations." 

What's more, organisational change and restructuring is a major cause of stress.

"Organisations planning to make cuts reported more sickness and mental health issues," she said.

 Long-term absence cases can sometimes be difficult to manage and we provide independent external support to make sure that the situation is addressed in a fair and reasonable manner.  

Contact us now for a confidential discussion on your needs.   

Or,if you want to learn more about managing stress at work, and manage organisational change our introductory workshops are a perfect opportunity to learn more.   

The CIPD report can be found here

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