Big Discrepancy on Sickness Absence Figures

Two pieces of research released at the same time, one from PwC and one from the CBI, show a dramatic difference in the levels of sickness absence in the UK.

The PwC research which you can view by clicking here says that in 2013, UK workers take an average of 9.1 days off through sickness each year. That’s nearly double the US rate and 4 times more than counterparts in Asia Pacific.

The CBI research which you can access by clicking here, says that in 2012, the average absence rate for UK workers was 5.3 days.

The difference between the two reports at 3.8 days is staggering or am I missing something here? PwC says the cost to the economy is £29bn whilst the CBI says £14bn

PwC’s research involved data gathered from 2,500 employers.   HR managers in 153 public and private sector organisations responded to the annual CBI survey.

Who do you believe?