Workplace absence costs SMEs 10 per cent of turnover, according to Bupa. Their work suggests a significant proportion of the UK’s small business bosses are also personally risking their health as they battle their own absence to keep businesses afloat. Four in ten heads of small companies continue to work from their sick beds, as their business would collapse if they were to take time off. This article was quoted in Rehab Review, see more at their website.
From our own work with SMEs, we at Research Partners know that when sickness absence does affect an SME the consequences can be extremely difficult to deal with. However, more needs to be done to help SMEs have the processes and systems in place that they need to be prepared for such events. Also more work is needed to convince SMEs to invest in preventative occupational health. Simple work adjustments can be made to reduce the negative effects of work on health and vice versa.
