New analysis of over 1,700 businesses has revealed that those in the real estate sector have seen one of the biggest rises in sick leave over the past year.
The Sick Leave Report 2024, conducted by HR systems specialist Access PeopleHR, part of the Access Group, revealed that the average UK business reported 128 days of sick leave in 2023 – up 6% compared to 120 in 2022, and up 55% since 2019.
Overall, the number of sick leave days taken in the real estate sector have soared by 67% in the past year, from 57 days of sick leave in 2022 to 95 in 2023.
This rise in absence could be partially down to an increase in face-to-face contact between real estate agents and customers, as more viewings in 2021 and 2022 were virtual as a precaution for the pandemic; while real estate agents may still offer virtual tours, these measures have eased with in-person viewings returning as a more popular choice.
The industry has also seen sickness leave skyrocket over the last four years, with a growth in absence of 98 percent since 2019.
The research suggests that those who are more customer-facing, and less office-based are likely to report the biggest growth in sickness absence, since they are less likely to rely on the ability to work remotely.
However, increased absence could also be a cause of deeper issues such as burnout, stress or a general rise in sickness, either industrially, or on an individual or company-by-company basis. This could be partly due to employees in the UK not using all their annual leave entitlement, with days of holiday taken dropping by 7.6% from 2022-2023, increasing the likelihood of burnout, stress, and sick leave taken as a result.
The industries that saw the biggest spike in sick leave in the last year were real estate activities (a 67% rise), recruitment (16%), and arts, entertainment and recreation (13%.
Administrative and support services have seen the biggest drop in sick leave over the last year – down by 76 percent.
Charles Butterworth, MD of the people division at The Access Group, commented: “This new report into the status of sick leave in the UK highlights the importance of a robust HR strategy for businesses when it comes to reducing sick leave. This could involve having clear policies and procedures, offering tangible support to those that appear to be taking excessive sick days and implementing a HR system to provide better absence management.
“This growth of sick leave in the real estate industry could be due to a number of factors, such as experiencing more burnout and long-term sickness since the increased return to office based work in 2023, with the most common industries reporting growths in sick leave being less likely to work remotely – namely those in the arts, real estate and retail industries.”
“Although, a lack of exposure to illness during lockdown and periods of remote working could also be the reason for more people getting sick in 2023 compared to pre-pandemic levels. Regardless, it’s crucial that businesses are monitoring sick leave using HR software to identify recurring problems, take action and determine whether an attendance review is necessary.”
