According to the protection provider Unum Provident, the three most common problems of backache, fatigue and depression are costing UK employers upto £11bn each year. Unum claims that 175 million working days have been taken off by almost 2 million employees over the last five years and the figures are on the increase.
Our View
The figures are increasing because the amount crammed into life is increasing, together with unhealthy eating and not enough exercise as contributing factors. The Government's drive for healthy eating and more exercise, if it works, will cut down sick days in the future. There is one point though - many people give the reason for a short absence from work as something other than the real reason!