Sickness absence data reveals gender divide
Women more likely to care for children
Women take more sickness absence than men, suggests a new survey.
Men take an average of 140 days of sick leave during their working life while women take 189, according to estimates made by Benenden Healthcare Society.
The mutual healthcare society surveyed 1,000 men and 1,000 women and found that, on average, adults takes three and a half days off work a year because of illness with women recording slightly higher rates.
Women were more likely to claim that they "try their hardest to make it to their desk" and "feel guilty" if they take time off. Men were more likely to report being contacted by their employer because of a poor track record in absence.
Seventy per cent of women feel like they are unable to take any time off work, compared to six in ten men who admit to the same pressure. The report also revealed men will ring in sick for more minor conditions such as hayfever, sore throat and headache, while women took leave with symptoms such as vomiting, flu and a high temperature.
Dr Tony Williams, consultant occupational physician at Benenden Hospital, said illness was not always the cause of sickness absence.
"Women are usually the principle carer for children and if a child is sick they may take time off ‘sick' to look after the child," he said. "If managers do more to find out why employees were off sick they may be able to come up with alternative solutions and support mechanisms that can help reduce overall sickness absence. Working from home can often be an answer.
"The fitter people are the less sickness absence they have. Obese people have four days more sickness per year, but many women of normal weight are still physically unfit and more likely to have sickness absence. Businesses that focus on physical fitness and health of their staff through opportunities for healthy eating and exercise will reduce sickness absence substantially.
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