Irish industry losses €757m a year to absenteeism - SFA
Small companies in Ireland lose an average of €757m each year through absenteeism, according to research carried out by the Small Firms Association.
The study indicates that the average employee in a small company misses seven days each year through sickness.
This rate increases for larger firms however and is higher still for electronics and engineering companies.
The Assistant Director of the SFA, Avine McNally has claimed that an employer's behaviour can often influence how many sick days a worker takes: “The first thing they need to do is have a policy and procedure in place so staff know what’s acceptable and what’s not.
“The other thing employers need to ensure is that staff enjoy the working environment they’re working in, so for example, it’s very team based, there’s good communications.
“And also then that management are actually rewarding presence in the workplace rather than rewarding or ignoring the problem of absenteeism, because this can frustrate other employees who are very diligent,” she pointed out.
