Closing the gap on public/private sector sickness rates

Last week's AXA/CBI sickness survey showed that, in 2007, the gap between the private and public sectors increased, with the average public sector worker taking 9 days off whereas their private sector counterparts took only 5.8 days. This gap increased last year as the private sector rate reduced but the public sector rate stood still. Overall, sickness cost the economy £13.2bn last year.

Although long-term absence of 20 days or more accounts for around 40% of all days lost, it is the management of the other 60% that makes the crucial difference to organisations: get it right through simple techniques like back-to-work interviews and team coverage of the work otherwise done by sick people and sickness rates come down.

The private sector has historically managed sickness better than the private sector and this accounts for a substantial portion of the savings apparent through the outsourcing of services.

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