What's the single biggest cause of absence from work in the UK?

Possability People share the biggest cause of absence in the workplace in the UK, and how they can work with employers to help staff with it. 

What's the single biggest cause of absence from work in the UK? Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions.

Surprised? You’re not alone.

Most people think stress-related illness is the biggest cause of absence from work. But MSK includes a broad range of conditions, affecting bones, joints and muscles, and causes chronic pain syndromes as well as rarer conditions of the immune system, such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, lupus and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.

MSK related illness or injury can affect anyone at any age. In fact, 1 in 8 adults of the working age population report having an MSK condition or injury.

Living with a long-term health condition can also lead to loss of confidence, self-esteem, anxiety and depression.

Employees, who are themselves learning to manage and come to terms with having an MSK condition, report that even thinking about disclosing their health status to their employer can be overwhelming and terrifying. But undisclosed MSK injuries or conditions can lead to additional mental distress, faster physical deterioration, increased absenteeism and eventual unemployment.

Replacing a member of staff costs an employer, on average, £30,614, according to a national study by Oxford Economics in 2014.

The At Work service from Sussex charity Possability People can help you support your employees with MSK conditions to stay in work and thrive.

What do we offer for employers?

• Building confidence in managing and supporting those with a long term health impairment in the workplace

• Support in talking to an employee and mediation

• Advice on reasonable adjustments and Access to Work funding

• Workplace health toolkit for employers

• Brokering flexible, supportive and effective return to work packages

• Disability Confident training and accreditation

What do we offer for your employees?

• Condition & self-management and managing your health in work and at home

• Talking to your employer about your health impairment

• Reasonable adjustments and Access to Work funding

• Wellness Action Plans and coping strategies for work

• Ongoing in-work support for both employee and employer

What’s in it for you?

• A happier, healthier and more effective workforce

• By promoting good MSK health and openly supporting employees with an MSK condition who are already experiencing difficulties, you send a positive message to all staff

• You may encourage others to step forward earlier in their MSK pathway, leading to quicker interventions that help to prevent an increase in sickness absence

• Fewer resources spent on dealing with absenteeism, reorganising and replacing staff.

At Work is funded by the Department of Work and Pensions and the Department of Health, and as such is free to both employees and employers. It can be included as part of a company’s Employee Assistance package at no extra cost or offered as an external support with a simple referral process.

Interested? Get in touch with us at:

work@possabilitypeople.org.uk or 01273 89 40 44

If you want to contribute to the Chamber blog, contact us on hannah@brightonchamber.co.uk