Long-term sickness has been found to cost UK organisations £20,735 per employee, according to new research from employee benefits and protection provider MetLife UK.
It surveyed 1,000 UK business owners, senior decision makers and HR directors for its latest research.
The long-term sickness figure accounts for hidden and direct costs that include temporary staffing, training, administrative burdens, and increased workloads for employees.
Short-term sickness has also had an impact on organisations’ bottom line and has reached a high price, costing an average of £13,800 per employee.
Additionally, employees took an average of 6.38 days off in the last 12 months.
When asked how they calculate the cost of sickness absence, respondents used multiple factors to measure this. More than two-fifths (43%) measure it as a loss in productivity, and 41% look at average daily absence costs, such as employee wages.
Furthermore, 39% assess reduced business efficiency, and 35% consider it a hit to overall profitability. A fifth (20%) cite lost opportunities as a cost factor, while 16% do not currently calculate the cost of sickness at all.
Charlotte O’Brien, head of employee benefits at MetLife UK, said: “Early intervention plays a vital role in building a healthier, more resilient and productive workforce. Acting quickly allows employers to minimise time off, reduce the risk of long-term ill health, and ensure employees feel genuinely supported and cared for. Offering preventative and early support services, such as GP24, employee assistance programmes and access to counselling, allows health concerns to be addressed before they escalate.
“Left unmanaged, these issues can become more serious, leading to prolonged absence, higher costs, and greater disruption for the business. Early intervention is proven to reduce absence levels by helping colleagues return to work more quickly. In fact, we’ve found that 96% of employees have a positive outcome from being able to step in at an early stage of absence.”
