Workers are taking fewer sick days this year. And, you guessed it, Brexit is being cited as a reason
The number of sick days are falling – and the trend, like so many others, is being linked to Brexit.
A new study found the average worker took off 1.67 days per year for minor ailments, down from 1.85 in 2015.
The fall in sick days is being linked to job security and the UK’s vote to leave the European Union.
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The study is the eighth to be carried out by Fisherman’s Friend, the lozenge sweet maker.
Its survey of 2,000 UK adults also found that 51 per cent haven’t had a single day off due to minor ailments in the last year.
A minority (16 per cent) took off more days this year than last, while 74 per cent have gone in to work despite feeling ill enough to stay at home.
Of the three in 10 workers who have taken less time off this year, 26 per cent cited not wanting to let colleagues down as a contributing factor. Some 23 per cent mentioned concerns over job security. And 8.4 per cent cited uncertainty following the Brexit vote.
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“Despite last year’s rise in the number of days off for the first time in eight years, this year’s Fisherman’s Friend Cold and Flu Survey once again shows that workers’ concerns are real and have an impact on attitudes towards taking time off work to recover from illness,” said Fisherman’s Friend spokesperson Rob Metcalfe.
As there was no difference between how men and women voted in the EU referendum, we were surprised to find that women appear much less concerned by the potential effects of Brexit than men. However, as they appear to be more concerned than their male counterparts about letting colleagues down, it could be that they’re just more willing to move onto new challenges that they can have a more immediate influence on.