Absence rates in the private and public sector have increased over the past year, according to a survey published by Simplyhealth and the CIPD on 14 October.

The annual CIPD/Simplyhealth Absence Management survey found on average an employee took 7.6 days absence leave in 2013, compared to 6.8 in 2012. However the number of employers making changes to working patterns to try and reduce long-term absence has increased by 20%.

Absence levels in the public sector are considerably higher than the private sector, the report found. In 2013, 8.7 days per employee were lost in the public sector compared to 7.2 in the private sector.

The study found the cost of absence per employee is £595 a year, although just two-fifths of employers monitor the cost of absence.

The survey, completed by 618 UK employers, found employers are attaching growing importance to making changes to working patterns and environments as a means of managing long-term absence levels.

Some 85% of employers reported they had adjusted working patterns in the past year, compared to 65% in 2012. The study said this is particularly important given two-thirds of working time lost to absence is accounted for by short-term absence.

The study suggests "reasonable adjustments" can be made at work to help employees return after a period of absence, such as small changes to working hours, like working 10-6 instead of 9-5 and comprehensive training for line managers on tackling absence and conducting effective return-to-work interviews.

It showed the benefit of changes to working patterns has been recognised by many employers, with more than 70% of employers reporting a positive impact on employee motivation and employee engagement after making changes.

A further 46% said they were using flexible working options to support employees with mental health problems.

Jill Miller, CIPD research adviser and co-author of the report, said "It's really important for businesses to recognise new ways of working to support a diverse workforce and to retain talent."

She also suggested that the current social climate could be affecting how employees approach work: “Changing demographics, including more people with caring responsibilities and the abolition of the default retirement age, means more people are looking to work untraditional hours."

 “Offering more flexible working opportunities also helps to respond to the needs of the UK’s ageing workforce, in which older employees will increasingly need and want to work in different ways and with different hours as they move towards retirement.

Two-fifths of respondents also noted that a tougher economic situation is prompting an increased focus on employee well-being and promoting good health at work. With 40 per cent of employers spending more on well-being initiatives compared with the previous financial year, this emphasis on healthier workplaces looks set to increase.

Members of Employers for Carers who actively promote and support flexible working report increased productivity and reduced sickness absence levels amongst several other benefits to their business. If working carers can make small changes to their working patterns employers will retain skilled, experienced staff as well as reducing absence levels when working carers feel they have no choice but to take sick leave to deal with their caring responsibilities.