1. Current approaches to sickness absence

The last five years have seen increased pressure on sick and disabled people, both in and out of work. Government changes to the benefit system, aimed chiefly at saving money, have had a significant impact on those who depend on it, including many in the workforce who receive statutory sick pay (SSP), other state benefits or tax credits.

Thousands of sick and disabled people have been wrongly labelled “fit for work” or have faced huge delays with their benefit claims (see page 27). Meanwhile, the general drive to reduce the “burden” of workplace sickness absence has never been far off the government’s agenda, despite a long-term decline in sickness absence rates (see page 6).

The 2014 Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) Absence management survey shows half of the employers taking part had introduced changes to some aspect of their absence management approach. These include line manager involvement in “capability” and absence management, revision or reinforcement of absence management policies, introduction or revision of monitoring procedures, and focusing on attendance strategies.

These developments see sick pay and absence management remaining in the spotlight as a workplace issue. And pressures will continue as the Conservative government seeks to implement a further £12 billion of cuts in public spending. However, as unemployment falls and employers have to work harder to recruit and retain staff, opportunities to negotiate better sick pay and absence management may emerge.