Wolverhampton City Council has unveiled concerning statistics regarding staff sickness absence levels.
- The Council recorded a staggering 120 years of sick leave taken in just a single year.
- Since April 2014, 42 staff members have been dismissed due to excessive sickness absence.
- The average sick days per employee stand at nine, with the Council losing 40,000 days to sickness in a year.
- Concerns have been raised about potential underreporting of sickness, prompting an investigation.
Wolverhampton City Council has recently disclosed alarming data on employee absenteeism due to sickness, revealing that the staff collectively took the equivalent of 120 years off in just one year. This significant loss of working days has been described by management as a worsening issue that the Council faces.
Since April 2014, a total of 42 employees have been dismissed for having an excessive amount of sickness absence. The Council, which employs nearly 4,576 individuals, encountered an average of nine sick days per worker, resulting in a total of 40,000 days lost to sickness-related absences.
Adrian Lewis, the Commercial Director of Activ Absence, commented on the situation, saying that such figures, although high, are not uncommon within the UK. He noted that with the implementation of appropriate systems, organisations could effectively manage such problems, leading to increased staff satisfaction as fairness prevails.
Councillor Wendy Thompson expressed serious concerns regarding the newly revealed sickness figures, emphasising the gravity of the issue and pointing out that earlier under-reporting might have masked the scale of the problem. She highlighted the possible repercussions, including disruptions in workflow and increased financial strain due to reliance on agency staff.
Councillor Paul Sweet, cabinet member for performance at the Council, acknowledged the critical nature of the problem, stating that reducing sickness absence is a priority. He stressed the need to comprehend the reasons behind the higher-than-average figures and affirmed the importance of potentially enhancing existing procedures to mitigate absenteeism.
Wolverhampton City Council is determined to address the challenges of employee absenteeism through strategic improvements and thorough investigations.
