Absence may have eased from its post-pandemic peak, but it’s still hurting UK employers. The Office for National Statistics reports the sickness absence rate fell to 2.0% in 2024, yet an estimated 148.9 million working days were lost – that’s around 4.4 per worker. So, what’s driving day-to-day disruption?
Short, everyday ailments. ONS data shows that minor illnesses were the top stated reasons for absences, accounting for 30.0% of all occurrences last year. With these frequent, brief absences rippling through rotas, the need for timely communication has never been more urgent.
Planning is the best defense: simple self-certification flows, clear first-day reporting, and fast, fair rules for short-term cover will keep your operation running. It’s manageable with the right processes (and the right piece of absence management software).
What counts as a ‘minor illness’?
In the Office for National Statistics figures, ‘minor illnesses’ means coughs, colds, flu, sickness, nausea and diarrhoea. It sits alongside a separate ‘respiratory conditions’ category that covers lung and breathing problems such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchitis and pneumonia, so the two shouldn’t be lumped together even if symptoms overlap.
The ONS also notes that, from April 2020, some people may have reported coronavirus-related absences under both minor illnesses and respiratory conditions, which helps explain a little blur across categories. From a planning perspective, most episodes of minor illness are, thankfully, short. The NHS says adults usually start to feel better from a cold within one to two weeks, which is a good benchmark for typical short spells you’ll be covering.
The planning challenge in a nutshell
So, if all is well, why is this becoming such a major issue for sickness figures? Short spells of illness cause outsized disruption because they strike often and with little notice. With a frequency of 30%, it creates constant small gaps that are hard to backfill on the day, especially where cover requires trained staff or rota approvals.
Pressure is even sharper in frontline settings. Public sector absence rates remain higher than the private sector, and workers in customer-facing roles and services also experienced high levels of short-term absences. But that pattern isn’t consistent throughout the year. Government surveillance shows that winter brings clear rises in cold and flu activity. Call volumes climb from mid-November and peaking around late December, and routine reporting runs across the October–May season.
When several people in a team pick up mild bugs at the same time, workplaces and offices can see a single day turn into hefty overtime costs. To stop these absences from clustering, businesses need to build fast cover rules with a suitable absence management system.
Policy foundations for short-term sickness
1. Self-certification and fit notes (keep it simple)
For the first 7 calendar days off sick, no fit note is required. Agree on one clear self-cert method (e.g., a short form or an email) and apply it consistently. Remember, the 7 days include weekends and non-working days. After 7 calendar days, ask for a fit note from a healthcare professional.
It can be provided by email (digital) or as a printed copy; both are acceptable. Keep a single route for submissions (for example, an HR inbox or portal) so managers are not chasing paperwork. Luckily, automated self-cert flows in absence management software can help businesses manage short spells cleanly.
2. Return-to-work done well
When someone comes back to work, have a short confirmation with them to check that they’re ready to return. Confirm any support or adjustments, and don’t forget to update them on what they missed. Keep a brief record of what was agreed and any follow-ups. Managers might even consider a phased return if that fits the role and the person. You can also implement employee wellness programs to proactively prevent people from becoming sick.
Communication playbook
1. When an employee reports sick
When an employee is sick, keep contact short. Confirm they’re unwell, note the expected return date, and agree to any urgent handovers. The UK’s Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) advises employers to keep the level of contact helpful and not intrusive.
You can do this by only recording what you genuinely need to run the rota and support the person. Avoid pressing for a diagnosis or detailed history. Afterwards, set a review point (for example, a quick check-in tomorrow if the return date is uncertain) and note who will update systems.
2. Team updates without oversharing
As a manager, you should only inform those who need to plan cover. Just report that the person is off sick and confirm the impact on shifts or deadlines, but don’t share medical details or speculation.
3. Tools that help
Use your absence management software to record a short reason (for example, ‘minor illness’), the expected return date, and any agreed check-ins. Many absence management systems trigger a return-to-work prompt and allow managers to keep case notes with tight access. This way, you’re supporting consistent management actions while meeting privacy duties.
Plan for employee sickness with absence management software
If minor ailments drive most absences, it makes sense to invest in an absence management system that cuts disruption. Best practice is to allow employees to self-certify up to 7 calendar days with no fit note, then require a fit note from day 8.
To stop managers from chasing documents, accept digital copies as well as paper. Then, build privacy: record only what you need to run pay and cover, treat health details as special category data, restrict access, and keep an audit trail. NHS self-care for colds and the government’s advice to stay home if you have a high temperature or don’t feel well enough to work. So, encourage employees to respect this advice and follow your policies.
