Home›Global Markets›Trade & Tariffs›Back-to-work adviser urges phone contact during sick l…

Back-to-work adviser urges phone contact during sick leave

A government report led by Sir Charlie Mayfield estimates health-related economic inactivity is costing Britain about £210bn a year in benefits and lost output.

Reported · Written up by our desk · Trade & Tariffs

Britain’s government back-to-work taskforce leader Sir Charlie Mayfield says employees signed off sick should stay in phone contact with their boss, arguing that conversations can help people return to work more effectively than relying on text or email.

The Keep Britain Working taskforce’s latest report links health-related economic inactivity to around £210bn a year in benefit payments and lost output, and calls for greater workplace support for people with health conditions and disabilities, alongside a Workplace Health System alongside the NHS.

Mayfield said the emphasis on communication is meant to “rehumanise” the workplace and reduce the risk that workers disengage and eventually leave the labour force. He also pointed to cases where people reported having almost no contact with their employer during longer sickness absences.

According to the report, around 300,000 people leave work each year with a health condition, much of which it says is preventable. Mayfield added that both employees and employers can fear discussing long-term health issues, with longer absences making it more likely a worker drops out of the labour force.

More like this

Sources