Hours of work

Long hours of work, night work and shift work all have the potential to affect workers’ health and therefore to impact on sickness absence. TUC figures show that 3.3 million UK employees regularly work more than 48 hours a week, despite legislation designed to protect workers’ health (the European Working Time Directive and the UK’s Working Time Regulations).

Studies have shown that working long hours increases health risks, including stress, depression and heart disease, yet the majority are not even paid overtime for their extra hours (TUC). Public sector employees make up a quarter (25%) of total employees but produce more than a third (39%) of all unpaid overtime.

There is another side to hours of work and sickness absence. With the growth in zero hours contracts, involuntary part-time working and “gig economy” jobs, insecurity and the lack of guaranteed hours could be contributing to attendance trends in other ways — for example, by encouraging “presenteeism” (see below), or creating anxiety and fostering mental health problems.