Research by Legal & General has shown that 34 per cent of SME employees feel their employer isn’t taking meaningful steps to prevent absence.
L&G’s Chief Medical Officer report looked at the role of prevention and the importance of accessibility to everyday self-help for entire workforces and their immediate families. It also considered absence management in terms of early intervention and rehabilitation, including how to deliver return-to-work support that is person-centred and sustainable.
Just over a third (34 per cent) of the 1,000 SME employees surveyed said their employer doesn’t do anything to prevent absences occurring, while 31 per cent said they do something, but it could be improved.
Only 23 per cent of respondents say their employer manages absences well. Almost 8 in 10 (78 per cent) thought that ‘preventing absence occurring in the first place’ would represent the most helpful part of any effective wellbeing and absence management strategy.
Roy Mcloughlin, board member of the Protection Distributors Group, says: “SMEs in particular have a hunger and enthusiasm to learn how we can help them with absence management and the positive cultural messaging of employees returning to work. The role of active financial and benefits advice has arguably never been as important in helping collaboratively communicate the impressive services that early intervention and vocational rehabilitation bring.”
The L&G research was focused around the Keep Britain Working report which was authored by Charlie Mayfield, chairman of the John Lewis Partnership from 2007 to 2020.