Managing sickness absence on National Sickie Day

The first Monday of February has gained a reputation as "National Sickie Day," a time when businesses often experience a spike in sickness absence. While it may be tempting to assume that all absences on this day are non-genuine, employers should be cautious about making such judgments. Instead, a more constructive approach is to focus on employee wellbeing and ensure that absence management policies are fair, effective, and supportive.

How to recognise genuine illness compared to a ‘sickie’

Identifying whether an absence is genuine or not can be challenging. Employees may take time off for legitimate reasons, including seasonal illnesses, mental health struggles, or burnout. Others might call in sick due to stress or job dissatisfaction rather than physical illness.

Rather than trying to ‘catch out’ employees, businesses should instead focus on the bigger picture: what absence levels indicate about workplace wellbeing and how organisations can foster an engaged and healthy workforce. If patterns of non-genuine absences emerge, they may indicate deeper issues such as low morale, workload stress, or disengagement.

A proactive approach to absence management

A well-structured absence management policy is essential to ensuring fairness while maintaining productivity. Employers should ensure that sickness absence policies are clearly communicated and consistently applied, covering reporting procedures, the requirement for self-certification, and expectations regarding medical evidence for longer absences. A workplace culture that encourages employees to be open about their health concerns can reduce the likelihood of unnecessary absences, and regular check-ins and one-to-one meetings can help managers identify employees who may need additional support. If employees are calling in sick due to stress or disengagement, addressing the root causes is crucial. Offering mental health support, promoting a healthy work-life balance, and ensuring reasonable workloads can all contribute to reducing absenteeism.

Holding informal return-to-work meetings helps managers understand why an employee was absent and whether any support is needed. These discussions also reinforce accountability while showing concern for the employee’s wellbeing. Where possible, allowing flexible or hybrid working can help employees manage minor illnesses without needing to take full days off. Employees who feel trusted and supported are more likely to be honest about their need for time off. Additionally, monitoring absence patterns can help businesses identify recurring issues. If National Sickie Day significantly impacts your organisation year after year, it may indicate a need to engage employees more effectively or review workloads during this period.

Conclusion

Instead of treating National Sickie Day as a battle against non-genuine absences, businesses should use it as an opportunity to assess their absence management approach and employee wellbeing initiatives. A workplace that prioritises employee health and engagement is less likely to struggle with high levels of unauthorised absences and more likely to retain a motivated, committed workforce.