"As an employee, if you’re concerned about your mental health, it’s important to explore what employee benefits you have access to; there may be support."
- Adrian Matthews, Head of Employee Benefits at MetLife UK
Of those surveyed (2,009), 40% said they feel burnt out, rising to 47% amongst women compared to 31% of men. Many also cited needing time away from the workplace as a reason to lie about ill-health or injury.
Almost a quarter (23%) said they took time off to attend a necessary appointment, followed by emergency childcare issues (17%), caring for a relative (15%), avoiding an ongoing issue (13%), missing a deadline/avoid doing a piece of work (8%), and getting out of a meeting/pitch (8%).
“Stress, declining productivity and a lack of engagement continue to be a significant challenge for many employees contributing to increasing absenteeism in the UK. While taking pre-arranged and paid time off work is crucial for employee wellbeing, it’s essential to understand the underlying reasons for increased sick leave,” explained Adrian Matthews, Head of Employee Benefits at MetLife UK.
He said: “These absences can stem from a variety of factors, including mental health concerns, financial stress, and childcare challenges. Nearly 3mn people are currently out of work with long-term health conditions, and it’s holding businesses and their staff back.
“Employee benefits and other workplace policies can greatly support businesses, many are designed to provide pre-early intervention. By deploying regular, effective, and varied communication about the employee benefits you offer, we believe that both genuine illness and some ‘sickie days’ can be minimised,” Adrian concluded.
