Monday sickies and the January blues keep employees at home
MONDAYS remain the most popular day for workers calling in sick, with one in three days off for illness falling at the start of the week.
According to research by Mercer, the highest rate of absence occurs in January, with musculo-skeletal problems the most common cause, followed by viral infections and stress-related illnesses. Mercer’s research, based on an analysis of sickness records for 11,000 employees across a range of organisations, showed that during January sick leave averages half a day per employee.
Mercer client manager Phiroze Billimoria said: “Monday sickness and frequent short-term absences can be a symptom of low employee engagement and morale.”