Matt Weston, Director, Robert Half UK:
With the worst winter flu in years, offices across the UK may be quieter than usual, with many employees phoning in sick and staying at home. Ensuring that employees use their sick leave effectively to rest and recover, National Sickie Day can also prove as a reminder to review absenteeism as a whole. Today should serve as a reminder for businesses to look deeper and identify if employees’ wellbeing, engagement and motivation levels are low and if that could be the cause of their absenteeism.
Employees who are burned out or frustrated are far more prone to skipping work, whereas engaged and happy employees are more committed, healthy and productive. This has a direct impact on the bottom line. Companies are increasingly recognising this, investing in the happiness of their employees. National Sickie Day is a great opportunity for businesses to re-enforce the importance of their employees and re-evaluate the benefits, support and training they provide.
