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In 2009, sickness absence levels in the UK declined to the lowest level since 1987, according to the CBI. The Absence and Workplace Health Survey, conducted with Pfizer, showed a strong reduction in public sector absence levels though still some gap between public and private sector organisations.

Many commentators have speculated on the link to increasing job insecurity and resulting  pressure not to take time off sick. Looking at absence trends at a time which coincides with high levels of insecurity among public sector workers it is very easy to conclude there is a link.

There is, however, quite a time lag between the period reflected in the report’s absence figures and when its publication and reporting as “news”. Job insecurity is a key concern in 2010, but was somewhat less prominent in the public sector a year ago … the time these figures relate to.

It is also important to remember absence management and staff wellness initiatives have been a key issue of focus for public sector managers. Attractor works with the NHS and, following Agenda for Change, there has been a degree of stability (now coming to an end) which enabled organisation to develop new proactive approaches to absence management – the successes were recognised in the Boorman Report which made recommendations for improving attendance.

But what lies ahead? Read the rest of this entry →

Central Manchester University Hospitals Trust recently announced it’s plans to withhold incremental pay increases for employees who have taken more than 18 days off sick or had four separate sick absences. This move forms part of it’s plans to save £120m by 2014 while protecting services.

The Trust was keen to point out that the new policy, being introduced from 1 October 2010, would be discretionary and would be applied in a manner that would not be discriminatory for people with long-term illnesses or those with disabilities.

NHS organisations are clearly looking for ways to save money but potential savings from implementing this policy would probably be “vanishingly small”.

UNISON officials reflected there was nothing in existing contracts providing that staff could be denied increments on the basis of absence and expressed the view NHS Trusts acting in this way would be in breach of the existing employment contracts and confirmed it would take legal action on behalf of affected staff.

In an article in Personnel Today, a legal adviser from Beachcrofts said the legality of the scheme would depend on what the staff contracts of employment say and how flexible the Trust is in applying the policy. He suggested it was unlikely the employment contracts were so prescriptive as to set out a mechanism for deciding upon pay rises and considered employers would normally have flexibility to consider a variety of factors when looking at pay rises.

So what is the position and how will the organisation fare if it proceeds without a local negotiated agreement? Read the rest of this entry →

More adverse comment has arisen about failings in public sector management as well as suggestions that public servants are lazy and inefficient.

Comments made by Tony McGuirk, the Chief Fire Officer of Merseyside at a Reform thinktank event in June were circulated at the recent TUC conference.

His words have been roundly condemned by some, called “a withering attack” by unions and used by others to support predictable criticismof public sevices, suggesting they are “crammed to the rafters” with lazy employees who can’t be sacked.

Supporting the view it was possible to overhaul public services, improving performance while saving money, Mr McGuirk explained managers should develop or ultimately sack people showing  poor performance – some of whom he said were “bone idle” – and raised concerns that managers often lacked sufficient “muscle”. In fact, he has recently apologised for using “inappropriate language” when talking about the need to confront poor performance and an epidemic of sickness absence.

Is the public sector prone to idleness? Read the rest of this entry →

A great deal of concern has been expressed over the impact of the Internet and social technology in the workplace, with fears employees are wasting enormous amount of “paid time” playing with new technological toys.

In Social Networking – Challenges in the Workplace, Attractor discussed the concerns which led some councils to ban Facebook and set this in the context of broader impacts on productivity.

Cath Everett reports at the HRZone a summary of a poll of 1,546 employees by HireScores.com revealing the average UK worker spent over an hour each day talking to colleagues about non-work issues.

While 8% admitted to a massive 3 hours of chatting, clearly excessive, the average figure still represents lost productivity of around 13%, taking a 43.2 hour working week (ONS 2003) and assuming people are not working while chatting. Read the rest of this entry →

When public sector organisations are looking for ways to save costs, absence management is always part of the standard armoury.

The report “On the path to recovery”, published by CBI/Pfizer in June 2010, reviewed absence management and health issues in the workplace during 2009.

It is based on responses from 241 organisations employing 1.2 million employees.

Employees took on average 6.4 days off sick in the period, equivalent to 3.9% of working time – the lowest since the survey was started in 1987 and a small improvement on the 2007 figure of 6.7 days.

While independent commentators have suggested the recession has had an impact on employee behaviour during 2009, the report does not support this view, concluding instead, the improvement in absence rates is largely due to better absence management by all employers. Effective absence policies and well-being programmes seems to be having a positive impact. Read the rest of this entry →

In the past, UK organisation were stereotyped by their slashing of training budgets when finances were tight – and then suffering the skills shortages which followed.

A new stereotype might be organisations looking to make efficiencies and reduce expenditure in their back-office functions so they can protect front line services.

Across the public sector, this “mantra” is being widely and loosely used without being explained in detail.

Real dangers exist where the implications of change are poorly thought through.

In richer times, it is easy to make the case for investment in services which support staff delivering effective front-line services. When times are hard, this is more difficult and its vital then, more than ever, to demonstrate how corporate teams impact on the business.

When organisations are looking to reduce expenditure, it is common to look for reductions in “overheads” – costs which can be reduced with little impact on front line services. Corporate back-office functions look “vulnerable” in this climate.

Organisations should always strive to ensure they are working in the most effective way – the optimum value between expenditure and achieving required outcomes. Back-office functions should be scrutinized as closely as other areas though it’s vital to keep a focus on what will maximise value rather than simply “reduce expenditure”. Read the rest of this entry →

Photo:AnA oMeLeTe, Flickr

The UK needs to reduce public expenditure and government departments are now publishing their savings plans.

The Department of Health has adopted a £555m savings target for reduced sickness in the NHS – taken from the 2009 Boorman review.

Having published the target, Government spokesman are being asked how this particular saving can be realised – the intimation being that the target is not deliverable.

The detailed answer, not often proferred in interviews, is that government have adopted the recommendations of the Boorman report, which involves -

• the production of staff health and well-being strategies,
• providing staff health and well-being services, including stronger occupational health services,
• using new information tools to assess performance,
• improving NHS leadership and development,
• implementing new governance, compliance and regulatory measures to oversee all the above.

While all these actions might help prevent ill-health and reduce absence, they are solutions with a long “lead times”.

In fact, acheiving major improvements on absence, delivering better productivity and significant financial savings needs no “magic” solutions. Read the rest of this entry →

The Boorman Report 2009 established strong links between the health and well-being of employees and the standards of care delivered by healthcare organisations.

The report recommended strengthening support mechanisms for healthy lifestyles to improve employees health and attendance.

There is good evidence employers with a positive approach to managing well-being are more effective overall … but, while Boorman’s recommendations were accepted, it’s hard to believe much headway will be made at a time when healthcare’s core services are facing significant pressure. Read the rest of this entry →

Photo:AnA oMeLete, Flickr

Salford Royal Foundation Trust recently said it would defer pay increments for staff with more than 28 days sickness during a year.

Strategic reward actions encourage positive behaviours and discourage negative ones.

While the policy may communicate intent, increments are a blunt instrument, with a lengthy time delay.

How effective might this be? Read the rest of this entry →