Absence & Presenteeism Management | UKIM Occupational Health & Wellbeing

There will always be instances where employees are absent through sickness, and most businesses will have policies in place to support staff and demonstrate compliance with statutory regulations. However, in some cases, employees can be regularly - even habitually - absent from work, often without clear reason..

Excessive employee absenteeism can be a challenging problem, adding unforeseen costs to the running of your business and having a detrimental effect on the morale of your workforce.

Sympathetically discussing employee absence with a trained clinician

Helping you with effective absence management

At UKIM, we understand the difficulties that businesses face when dealing with employee absenteeism. That’s why we’ve developed a range of effective solutions that enable you to measure, monitor and manage staff absences, which will assist with;

Identifying the root causes of persistent employee absences
Addressing underlying health concerns or issues
Staying ahead of challenges with your workforce capacity
Implementing effective return-to-work programmes

Our Employee Absence Management systems help you determine whether staff would benefit from additional support through a range of Occupational Health services, such as Physiotherapy or Counselling. Combined with our team of clinical experts, we will help you develop programmes and initiatives that address and reduce identified health issues. All of which - this independent medical evidence and advice can also be relied upon in a court of law if the need arises.

Our established processes will help you reduce absences and presenteeism and result in a healthier, more productive workforce.

We recommend that you help your employees build strength and resilience using our biopsychosocial model - taking into account physical and mental health, current/ongoing medical conditions, and any relevant social factors.

This multidisciplinary approach includes access to specialist rehabilitation and independent medical advice that has been effective in helping employees recover and return to work as quickly and safely as possible.

Our Absence Management service are available on a contractual or on-demand basis.

Download our latest Service Overview leaflet

Your handy guide to the Occupational Health services we can supply and support your business with - click the image below for your PDF copy;

Are you an employee?

If you have any health conditions or concerns that you are worried may impact your performance at work, we would encourage you to discuss them with your employer in a transparent and open manner. They may be able to provide support or a referral to our Occupational Health services (like Physiotherapy or Counselling) to help you manage your health at work.

You can also get more information by reading through our Occupational Health Assessment FAQ for Employees ››

Our commitment to you...

At UKIM, we are committed to promoting the health and wellbeing of employees in the workplace, and our focus on Absenteeism and Presenteeism Management is a critical aspect of this mission. Our team is equipped with the knowledge and expertise needed to provide independent and unbiased medical advice, ensuring that employees receive the support they need to get back to work and perform at their best.

Why Absence Management matters for your business...

Research from CIPD shows that sickness absence costs UK businesses billions of pounds every year, with the average employee taking around 6–7 days off work annually. Beyond the financial cost, unplanned absences disrupt team dynamics, reduce efficiency, and put extra pressure on colleagues. A structured absence management process helps employers identify patterns of absence, address potential underlying issues, and support employees in staying engaged and productive at work.

Key elements of an effective Absence Management Policy...

Every organisation benefits from having a clear absence management policy in place. While each workplace is different, effective policies usually include:

Clear reporting procedures for employees who are unwell
Guidance on when medical evidence is required
Structured return-to-work interviews to support staff
A process for recording and monitoring absence trends
Support pathways for employees with long-term health issues
Access to occupational health assessments and rehabilitation services

By putting these measures in place, businesses can reduce the negative impact of absence while creating a culture of openness and support.

Absence Management vs. Presenteeism: What’s the difference?

While absence management focuses on reducing avoidable employee absences, presenteeism refers to the problem of staff being at work but not performing at their best due to illness, stress, or other issues. Both can have a significant cost to businesses. A successful absence management strategy will also take presenteeism into account – ensuring that employees are encouraged to seek support rather than struggling through ill health at work.

Absence Management and Legal Compliance

In the UK, employers have a duty of care to protect the health, safety, and wellbeing of their workforce. Effective absence management supports compliance with employment law and health and safety regulations. By documenting absence processes, keeping accurate records, and providing access to occupational health expertise, businesses can demonstrate that they are acting fairly and responsibly if absence issues are ever challenged.

Our Clinical Experts discuss ways to manage and prevent employee absenteeism.

The UKIM team of professionals have written extensively about Employee Absenteeism and Presenteeism, providing additional insight into the ways our Occupational Health services can offer support to businesses.

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Learn more about our range of Occupational Health services for businesses...

Our team of experts adopt a holistic, end-to-end approach to tackling the physical and mental health challenges your workforce may encounter and treat them through a range of effective occupational health solutions, including:

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Employee Wellbeing

Our expert team has designed bespoke Employee Wellbeing strategies to help companies like yours build a thriving and productive workforce...

physiotherapist working with a male patient

Physiotherapy

Investing in physiotherapy services is an investment in the long-term health and wellbeing of your employees, and the success of your business...

Employee Absence
and Presenteeism
Management

Why is Employee Absence Management so important?

Helping you with effective absence management