Occasional illness is normal and to be anticipated, and many staff may have to take some days off during the year. In some instances, frequent or recurring sickness absences can be a sign of an underlying problem within an organisation.
Keeping accurate and updated data on sickness absences – for example, the dates and broad reason for absence - is essential for understanding the wider context of sickness absence within an organisation.
Services may vary in ways of collecting absence data. In some organisations, managers may hold this data, while in others it may be held by HR. It is important to note that this information is considered sensitive and employers should ensure that they are following data protection guidelines when requesting reasons for absence (Data Protection act 2018)
Analysing sickness absence data may allow employers to identify concerning trends in absence in order to implement interventions within the workplace to support staff health. For example, research suggests that a high proportion of sickness absence within healthcare teams is due to musculoskeletal difficulties and early workplace interventions may reduce the likelihood of staff encountering these difficulties.
Some organisations, such as the NHS, publish data on sickness absence. Managers may be able to compare absence data within their team to wider organisational averages to determine if there is greater level of absence within their team. Gov.uk have developed a workplace wellbeing tool which allows employers to work out the costs of poor employee health to their organisation and create a business case for taking action.