The average employee was off sick for almost two working weeks in the 12 months to September 2025, according to data from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (9 September 2025).
As a business owner, you may find that employee sick days affect your operations and bottom line. While it’s impossible to eliminate all unexpected absences, there might be some steps you could take to reduce their impact.
1. Be clear about your absence policy
Being clear with your staff about how they should call in sick is the first step to managing the effect illness has on your operations. For instance, it’s important that your staff know who to contact and what time they need to notify you.
Clear expectations can avoid confusion and allow you to prepare cover if necessary.
2. Prepare for illnesses
You can’t prevent illnesses, but you can prepare for them.
Ensuring more than one person is trained to handle key tasks, and that processes are clearly documented so others can step in, could limit the effect of an unexpected absence.
Don’t wait until an employee is sick to understand what tasks would need to be handed to another team member. Instead, be proactive and encourage team members to keep clear records, so it’s simple to understand exactly what needs to be done in their absence.
3. Counter presenteeism
Presenteeism – attending work when you’re unwell – might seem harmless or even useful at first. However, the sick employee might not be performing at their best, and there’s a chance they could spread the illness to colleagues.
Countering presenteeism might reduce the number of sick days taken in your business overall. One option might be to offer flexible working arrangements for those who are unwell to prevent the spread of infectious illnesses.
4. Consider health perks as part of your benefits package
When reviewing your employee benefits package, you could include perks that would support the overall health of your team. This could include a wide variety of benefits, from cycle to work schemes to mental health support.
Not only could these perks lead to a happier and more productive workforce, but they could also reduce sick days.
For example, if your staff have access to a virtual GP providing 24/7 access, they could receive advice and prescriptions more quickly than they would if they waited for an NHS appointment. It may mean they’re on the mend sooner or don’t need to take time off work to attend in-person appointments.
5. Create tailored support for employees with medical conditions
An article published by the Actuarial Post (5 January 2026) suggests that almost 4 in 10 adults live with ongoing medical conditions.
Creating a workplace environment where employees feel comfortable talking to you, their manager, or HR about medical issues could support your team and the business.
Building tailored support for your employees could mean they’re less likely to call in sick. For example, you might offer compressed working hours to accommodate treatment or adjust their role so it’s less physically demanding.
If you have employees with ongoing medical conditions or disabilities, you may also want to seek legal advice to understand your obligations.
6. Consider key person insurance to cover critical illnesses
In most cases, employee absences last for a short period. However, you might benefit from considering how your business would fare if a key member of the team, including you, became critically ill.
To limit the impact this would have on your business, you could take out appropriate protection, such as key person insurance. This type of insurance typically pays out a lump sum to the business if a covered person becomes critically ill or passes away. The payout could cover lost profits, keep the business financially stable, or be used for recruitment costs.
The business will need to pay premiums to maintain the cover, which will vary depending on a range of factors, including the individual’s age and overall health.
If you’d like to discuss key person insurance or other forms of protection that could support you and your business, please get in touch.
Please note: This article is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at individuals only.
All information is correct at the time of writing and is subject to change in the future.
Note that financial protection plans typically have no cash in value at any time, and cover will cease at the end of the term. If premiums stop, then cover will lapse.
Cover is subject to terms and conditions and may have exclusions. Definitions of illnesses vary from product provider and will be explained within the policy documentation.