HSE say work is good for you

HSE Press Release: E146-04 - 27 October 2004

When you're off sick, returning to work as soon as possible may help you get well. And staying at home longer than you absolutely need to could actually make you worse. These are two recommendations of new guidance published today by the Health and Safety Executive.

Long-term sickness absence, defined as four weeks or more, is a significant burden to employers in the private and public sectors. It means mounting sick pay, recruitment costs and high workloads for colleagues. HSE's guidance explains how employers and employees can work together to hasten a successful return to work. Research shows that companies in the UK and USA have made big savings through return to work programmes.

HSE also believe that avoiding long-term sickness absence is good for individuals - work can be an important part of the recovery process. Work is essential to health and well-being; inability to work brings on more health problems, physical and mental. And the longer people are off, the less likely is their return: one in five people off sick for six weeks will remain off work and eventually leave paid employment.

The CBI6 estimates that 33% of working days lost due to sickness are accounted for by long-term sickness absence (defined as 20 working days or more) at a cost of £3.8 billion a year. Yet it involves only 1 in 20 employees, most of whom do not have serious illness but are suffering from common health problems such as depression and anxiety or muscle, joint and back pain7. Research shows that overcoming non-medical barriers, such as job design and poor communication between employee and employer, is crucial.

Jane Kennedy, Minister of State for Work, said:

"For too many people long-term sickness absence leads to the spectre of unnecessary job loss, continued ill health and social exclusion. A culture exists where long-term sickness absence is accepted as a fact of life. When employers try to do something about it, they and their managers often lack even the necessary skills and support to act.

"We need to change this culture and so I am delighted to be able to welcome and support the launch today of the Health and Safety Executive's approach for managing sickness absence and return to work, part of the Framework for Vocational Rehabilitation."

HSE's new guidance, informed by expert research and significant input from employers, practitioners and unions, offers a practical step by step approach to managing sickness absence and getting people back to work quickly. The guidance is aimed at employers and managers across UK business, and is supported by a free leaflet for employees as well as a concise desk aid for smaller businesses.

Action employers should take includes:

• Keep in contact with sick employees.
• Involve employees in planning their return.
• Enable people to resume work on a part-time basis rather than stay away completely.
• Adjust or remove any aspects of the job that make return difficult, or offer an alternative job if necessary.

Action employees should take includes:

• Keep in touch with your employer and ask for news from work to help you feel part of it.
• Talk to your doctor about your job and about going back to work.
• Tell you employer about specific problems that make your return difficult.
• Make an informal visit to your employer to discuss your return to work plan.

Notes to editors

1. HSE's guidance partners the Department for Work and Pensions' Framework for Vocational Rehabilitation.

2. The guidance, Managing sickness absence and return to work (HSG249), the free leaflet for employees Off sick and worried about your job? (INDG397), and the free desk aid Managing sickness absence and return to work in small businesses (INDG399) are available via HSE Books - http://books.hse.gov.uk

3. Advice and help is also available at www.hse.gov.uk/sicknessabsence

4. HSE have commissioned the Institute of Occupational Medicine to develop a sickness absence recording tool, to help small and medium-sized businesses identify interventions that will avert long-term sickness absence.

5. Employers have duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, to protect, as far as reasonably practicable, the health and safety of employees. They also have duties under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate employees who are or have become disabled.

6. Confederation of British Industry: Absence and labour turnover 2004.

7. Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development: Employee Absence 2004.

Copies of Managing sickness absence and return to work (HSG249), ISBN 0 7176 2882 5, price £9.95, and the free leaflet and desk aid, are available from HSE Books.

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