Stress absence on the rise, CIPD study finds

An increasing amount of sickness absence is related to stress, according to new  research from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

The CIPD's latest absence study finds that 52% of UK employers have experienced an increase in stress-related absence over the past year.

Minor illnesses such as colds and flu remain the leading cause of absence among the workforce as a whole, but stress is the leading cause of long-term absence among non-manual workers - cited by 42% of employers.

The principal causes of stress-related absence are workload (reported by 68% of employers), management style/relationships at work (60%), organisational change (45%) and pressure to meet targets (41%).

Broken down by sector, the rate of annual absence per employee ran at 10.7 days in the public sector, while the private sector rate was 7.8 days.

  • Public sector suffers as absence levels rise   Personnel Today's Michael Millar looks at the key findings of the study.

  • Employee absence 2004: A survey of management policy and practice   Read the full text of the study, as published on the CIPD website. The survey is based on responses from 1,100 UK firms, employing over 2.9 million people.

  • From absence to attendance   In light of the CIPD findings, Personnel Today's Nic Paton investigates employers' increasingly strategic and proactive approach to managing employee absence.

    Also

    Workloads bigger risk than drugs  IRS Employment Review looks at the key findings of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation inquiry into drug testing at work.

    Work-related stress affects almost half of UK workforce   Writing in Occupational Health, Nic Paton looks at new research from vocational qualifications supplier City & Guilds.

    Absence from work on the increase, finds CBI   Coverage of the CBI's recent research on absence.

    Health and Safety Commission consults on stress management standards   HR & Compliance Centre presents links to a range of article's about the HSC consultation on voluntary stress management standards.

    How to manage workplace stress   The Personnel Today Management Resources one stop guide on managing incapacity has detailed guidance on managing workplace stress.

    Legal Q&A: workplace stress   Sue Nickson, a partner and head of employment law at Hammond Suddards Edge, answers questions on workplace stress.