The CIPD Absence Management Survey 2016 reveals that the average level of employee absence is 6.3 days per employee per year, a decrease of .6 in 2015 where the average was 6.9. Other key findings include:

• The average days lost per employee per year is 5.2 in private sector services and 8.5 in public services.
• The overall median cost of absence per employee is £522; the median cost in the private sector is £505 and in the public sector is £835 per employee.
• 72% of employers report they have observed ‘presenteeism’ – people coming into work unwell – within their organisation, and 29% say they’ve seen an increase in the last 12 months.
• The most common top five causes of short-term absence are: Minor illness (95%), Stress (47%), musculoskeletal injuries (44%), Home/family/carer responsibilities (35%), and mental ill health (34%).
• The most common top five causes of long-term absence are: Stress (53%), acute medical conditions (53%), mental ill health (49%), musculoskeletal injuries (44%) and back pain (35%).

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