Sickness absence and presenteeism have risen dramatically in the UK post pandemic, a new Fruitful Insights report has revealed.
Research by the data and analytics company found that employee-reported absences increased by 29% while presenteeism grew by 18% between May 2021 and November 2022.
The Rethinking the future of workplace wellbeing – Managing change in the post-pandemic era report suggests that the rise in absences is likely due to more cases of Covid-19 and a greater number of short-term sicknesses, including colds and flu, as people return to workplaces for all or part of the working week.
Mike Tyler, chairman and co-founder of Fruitful Insights, said: “This report evidences the very real changes that are taking place as the workplace adapts to new ways of working and the very clear challenges that lie ahead.”
The study of 3,000 UK employees further found that 41% say they are likely to leave their current jobs if offered suitable alternatives, with 40% of Generation X employees indicating they are now definitely inclined or very likely to quit.
Tyler added: “The impacts on workplace wellbeing are significant. We need to better understand how the sense of disconnection from family, friends and communities may impact wellbeing in the longer term and the huge lethargy that is impacting commitment and drive, reflected in the worrying levels of quiet quitters.
“These are big problems for employers, some of which were highlighted this time last year, but which remain a very real challenge today – in fact it seems to be getting worse. It is imperative that employers really look hard at whether the wellbeing programmes they are putting in place are really addressing the underlying causes of impaired wellbeing.”
The research also highlighted differences between the generations, with generation Z and Millennials feeling social disconnection the most. Gen Zs said that, compared to during the pandemic, they now feel 17% more disconnected from their local communities.
Fruitful’s clinical psychology adviser Dr Michelle O’Sullivan believes employers should be mindful of this at work. She commented: “We are social animals and our mental wellbeing is strongly linked to the quality of our relationships. It’s critical that businesses support great social interactions as part of positive workplace environments and that we make spending time with friends and family easy.”
