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 CIPD PRESS RELEASE 14 July 2008
Government welfare to work objectives undermined by low levels
of rehabilitation support in the workplace
Government efforts to get the long-term sick off benefits and
back to work risk being undermined by low levels of rehabilitation
support in the workplace, according to the Chartered Institute
of Personnel and Development's (CIPD's) Annual Absence Management
Survey 2008.
The survey finds nearly four in ten (36%) employers offer no
rehabilitation support to help employees make successful and
long-lasting returns to work. Such services are most common in
the public sector, where 84% of employers offer them. The figure
falls to 48% in private sector services, and just 25% in
organisations employing fewer than 50 people. Where support is
offered, on average it takes more than two months before the
employee is referred, by which time chances of a successful
return may already have diminished significantly.
Ben Willmott, CIPD adviser on workplace health, said:
"Government efforts to get people off long-term sickness benefit
and back into work are to be welcomed. But more needs to be
done to stem the steady stream of workers heading the other
way. Increased use of workplace rehabilitation support and
services has a key part to play in achieving this and in
particular the provision of access to occupational health
services, the use of flexible working to aid phased returns to
work and the provision of access to counselling services.
"The government could make a real difference by providing tax
incentives to encourage more employers to occupational health
and vocational rehabilitation services. We'd also like to see
recommendations from Dame Carol Black's review of workplace
health rolled out and implemented as soon as possible, as well as
increased government investment in developing the occupational
health services provided by NHS Plus and the rehabilitation
support services provided by Remploy. Government, NHS and
employers have a mutual interest in reducing the numbers falling
into long-term sickness and getting people back to work. Joint
action on services and incentives are the best way to achieve
this."
The CIPD is calling for:
* Government investment to extend the coverage and range of
services offered by NHS Plus - a network of NHS occupational
health departments across England, supplying services to
industry, commerce and the public sector, with a focus on SMEs.
* Implementation of Dame Carol Black's recommendation that a
"Fit for Work" service be developed to provide early access for
employees to services like counselling and physiotherapy.
* The HSE's pilot Workplace Health Connect service, providing
occupational health advice and support for SMEs, re-launched as
a permanent scheme, with full national coverage.
Sickness absence accounts for 8 days per employee per year
The annual absence survey also found average levels of employee
absence have reduced slightly in almost all categories:
* For all workers, levels fell from 8.4 days per employee per
year in our 2007 survey to 8.0 days in our 2008 survey;
* Public sector absence remains the highest, but has fallen from
10.3 days to 9.8 days; voluntary sector absence fell from 9.6 to
8.7 days; in private sector service firms it remained static at
7.2 days; in the manufacturing and production sector it fell from
7.6 to 7.2 days;
* Employers estimate the average cost of absence at £666 per
employee per year.
* Short-term absence remains the biggest problem for private sector
organisations. Absence of up to 7 days accounts for 74% of overall
absence in the private sector, compared to 50% in the public sector.
* Long-term absence of more than four weeks is more prevalent in
public sector organisations, accounting for 29% of working time lost
to absence, almost double that of private sector organisations (13%).
Ben Willmott said:
"These falls are welcome, but absence levels in the UK still
remain stubbornly high. Many employers can still do much more
to improve how they manage absence and support employee
wellbeing. With sickness absence costing employers an average
of £666 per employee per year, the savings to employers and the
overall economy from better management of employee absence could
be substantial."
"However, encouragingly the survey shows employers are continuing
to invest more in supporting employee wellbeing to help prevent
the commonest causes of ill health such as stress, back pain and
musculoskeletal conditions."
Notes to editors:
* Ben Willmott is available for interview.
* Journalists should contact the CIPD press office for a copy of
the full research report.
* The report will be available for download on the CIPD website
from 14 July at http://www.cipd.co.uk/surveys
* The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)
has over 130,000 members and is the leading professional
institute for those involved in the management and development
of people.
CIPD press enquiries:
Robert Blevin / Jemma Walsh / Christian Zarro
mailto:press@cipd.co.uk
http://www.cipd.co.uk/press
020 8612 6400 / 07793 256 763
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