An Insight into Reducing Staff Absenteeism

Published in November 2025, the Keep Britain Working review warns that, due to health conditions, there are now 800,000 more people out of work than in 2019, costing employers an estimated £85 billion a year in lost productivity, sick pay and staff turnover. Without intervention, it is anticipated that a further 600,000 workers could leave the labour market by 2030.

Sir Charlie commented that “Work is generally good for health, and health is good for work, (however) for employers, sickness and staff turnover bring disruption and lost experience. For the country, it means weaker growth, higher welfare spending and greater pressure on the NHS.”

These comments align with the findings of the 24th edition, the CIPD’s Health and Wellbeing at Work report (CIPD Report), which provides benchmarking data and analysis on current and emerging health and wellbeing trends and practices in the workplace.

There has been a noticeable increase in workplace absenteeism across all sectors, with the CIPD Report finding that “the average number of absence days per employee per year has risen to 9.4 days, the highest in more than 15 years”.

This increase in absenteeism is due to more than physical illness. Mental health challenges, burnout and stress are contributing factors that can significantly impact staff productivity and morale. The CIPD Report highlights mental ill health being the leading cause of long-term absence and the second most common cause of short-term absence, with stress also contributing significantly to both short- and long-term sickness absence.

Blanchards Bailey’s Approach to Reducing Absenteeism

At Blanchards Bailey, staff absenteeism is far below the average 9.4 days, with only 3.7 days per employee per year. What are the key proactive steps that we have implemented to support staff wellbeing and reduce absenteeism?

Promote Work-Life Balance

The Firm genuinely supports flexible working. This goes beyond simply facilitating flexible working requests and extends to accommodating shorter-term variations of working hours around care commitments and allowing for remote working options.

Giving employees greater autonomy over their schedules has led to healthier work habits and greater staff satisfaction.

Invest in Mental Health Support

The Firm has dedicated Mental Health Champions and Mental Health First Aiders across its sites, in addition to access to an Employee Assistance Program for all staff.

This supportive environment encourages “safe and early conversations” and helps employees feel more valued and cared for, which in turn can reduce stress-related absence and improve retention.

Manage Sickness Absence

The Firm takes an individual approach to each absence. This can include, as appropriate:

• Keeping in touch days
• Phased returns to work
• Discussions about what short-term and longer-term adjustments may assist
• Ensuring staff are not isolated whilst on sick leave
• Conducting return-to-work interviews in all cases

This proactive and supportive approach helps employees return to work safely and sustainably, reducing the risk of repeated or prolonged absence.

Create a Positive Workplace Culture

The Firm’s leadership and HR lead by example and take active steps to be available and approachable. They foster an open, inclusive environment where employees feel comfortable voicing concerns and discussing issues before they become overwhelming, whether these are personal or professional concerns.

A positive culture where people feel listened to and respected is a key factor in reducing absenteeism and improving engagement.

Offer Wellness Programmes

The Firm has a dedicated Social and Charity Committee which arranges a wide variety of events, from fundraising to fitness challenges, encouraging team interaction and helping employees manage stress and stay engaged at work.

A Health and Safety Committee, comprising representatives from all departments and offices, also meets biannually to discuss and identify any health, safety and welfare issues raised by staff, and to consider what measures and training can be implemented to address these issues.

Streamline Workload Management

Teams across the Firm hold weekly meetings to ensure workloads are manageable for all employees. If a team member requires short-term or longer-term assistance, steps are taken promptly to prioritise and redistribute workloads.

This active management of capacity helps prevent burnout, reduces stress-related absence and supports consistent service delivery for clients.

These proactive measures have not only contributed to Blanchards Bailey attaining a Platinum Investors in People award, but have also clearly demonstrated that supporting employees results in enhanced employee engagement and reduced absenteeism.

How We Can Help

If you would like to discuss with our HR Services and Employment Law Team how you can implement similar measures in your workplace, or help create a healthy, supportive and collaborative environment for your team, please contact Sophia Radford, Solicitor, Employment Law:

• Telephone: 01258 488214
• Email: sophia.radford@blanchardsbailey.co.uk
• Locations: Blandford, Weymouth.

You can also visit the Employment Law page on our website for more information.