Recruitment owners and managers need to have staff well-being at the core of their business strategy, according to Bibby Financial Services.
The company has issued advice following the release of research from the CBI which found that the UK economy lost 21 million days last year to employee sickness.

Bibby advises that employers should review staff development procedures and training provisions. Encouraging employees to learn new skills will keep them interested and motivated and will help to build a good team atmosphere and morale.

Bibby advises employers to create a career path for staff, if employees are happy with their career and clear on where they are heading, they will be less likely to look elsewhere or loose enthusiasm for their role.

Other suggestions include be flexible, be open, provide incentives, celebrate success and organise social events to let employees get together in a less formal setting to build team spirit.

David Robertson, chief executive of Bibby Financial Services, says: “The average UK employee taking seven days sick leave a year can have a significant impact on an organisations’ productivity, particularly a small business where one person being absent can cause a significant dip in resources and subsequent profits.

“Businesses that review staff well-being and take steps to provide a happy, healthy and positive working environment are less likely to find themselves with high absenteeism levels and a depleted bottom line.”