An advert stating ‘”if you’ve had to use sick days because you’ve actually been sick, then you’re seriously missing out” has attracted strong criticism from business groups who claim that the advert encourages a culture of ‘throwing a sickie’.

Costing tax payers several billion pounds per year, sickness absence is not something taken lightly by business owners who often have to foot the bill.  The financial cost of absence from work has been targeted by the Government with the resulting introduction of the Fit Note.  With the increasing focus on ‘efficiency’ in Government spending, absence from work is fast becoming a priority.

Advertising Glaceau Vitamin Water (a brand owned by Coca Cola), the advert goes on to say “the trick is to stay perky and use sick days to just, not go in”.  This obviously completely undermines the efforts of those involved in reducing false ‘sickies’, and will have infuriated many business owners.

Obviously not all absence from work is the result of ‘false sickies’, and those who are genuinely ill should be treated sympathetically and in accordance with absence management policies.  However, it is worth bearing in mind that a recent report drawn up by Dame Carole Black found that absence:

• Costs the taxpayer – (benefit costs, additional health costs and forgone taxes) an estimated £60 billion.
• The annual economic costs of sickness absence and worklessness associated with working age ill-health are estimated to be over £100 billion.

The report also pointed out that this is greater than the current annual budget for the NHS and equivalent to the entire GDP of Portugal!

Our partners, Empire HR, recently held a Lunch and Learn session on the subject of Fit Notes, with a focus on reducing absence levels at work.  Specialists in all aspects of Absence Management, the Advice Line team can support and assist those dealing with the issue.  Please contact us if you would like to discuss how to tackle the issue, or would like an Absence Policy.