ABSENTEEISM continues to be a problem in the workplace, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development has claimed.
After its second annual survey, the CIPD said 84 per cent of employers thought they could reduce the number of people taking time off work and all but six per cent classed the problem as "significant".
"But the survey shows absence levels have largely remained unchanged, highlighting a gap between awareness, intent and delivery," said Diane Sinclair, the CIPD's adviser in employee relations.
In companies with fewer than 100 staff, the average level of absence was 2.2 per cent of working time. The figure was 4.5 per cent for organisations with 2,000 workers or more.
The highest rate of absence was in the food, drink and tobacco industries.
According to the CIPD, using return-to-work interviews and occupational health professionals could lower absenteeism.
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