The EEF employers’ group said that there had been a decline in short-term absence over the past five years.  However, the overall sickness absence rate had flattened off in 2011 and remained unchanged from 2010 at 2.2%.   EEF chief medical adviser Prof Sayeed Khan said a “fresh approach” was needed from the government.

The study of more than 400 firms showed that the number of workers taking no days off sick increased from 46% to 51% between 2010 and 2011.

But the average number of days lost to illness remained at around five per employee, said the report.

Credit: BBC/Reuters