![[Basket]](images/basket.png){kind=small}
Your order![[cover image]](images/issue/BK201506.jpg)
Underlying causes
[ch 1: page 10]A punitive approach to sick pay or a hidden problem of presenteeism can develop where employers fail to consider the underlying causes of sickness absence. According to ONS, minor illnesses (such as coughs and colds) were the most common reason given for sickness absence but more days were lost to back, neck and muscle pain than any other cause.
Stress, depression and anxiety accounted for almost twice the proportion of days lost (15.2%) than periods of sickness absence (8% — see table, page 11).
The causes vary when absence is divided between short-term, where minor illnesses are the most common cause, and long-term, where CIPD finds the top causes are acute conditions (stroke, heart attack, cancer, stress, musculo-skeletal disorders, mental ill health and back pain).
Reasons for sickness absence in 2013
| Days lost | Sickness absences | |
|---|---|---|
| Musculoskeletal problems (MSDs) | 30.6% | 20% |
| Minor illnesses | 27.4% | 30% |
| “Other” | 21.7% | 14% |
| Stress, depression, anxiety | 15.2% | 8% |
| Gastrointestinal problems | 8.7% | 7% |
| Respiratory conditions | 5.3% | 4% |
| Eye/ear/nose/mouth/dental problems | 5.2% | 4% |
| Heart, blood pressure, circulation problems | 5.0% | 3% |
| Genito-urinary problems | 3.2% | 3% |
| Headaches and migraines | 1.7% | 2% |
| Serious mental health problems | 1.0% | 1% |
| Prefers not to give details | 5.9% | 4% |
Source: ONS 2014