National Sickie Day: How to Maintain Workplace Productivity

While illness and periods of genuine absence are unavoidable features of working life, regular employee absenteeism can present significant challenges to businesses when left unaddressed. Unofficially cited as the day on which the highest number of staff sick days are recorded each year, National Sickie Day raises important questions around organisational attitudes towards staff wellbeing, absences and workplace policy.

Whether your business has been experiencing a rise in absenteeism, or you’re simply trying to safeguard for the future by elevating your employee experience — National Sickie Day presents the perfect opportunity to stop and reflect. In this article, we’ll discuss our top tips for keeping productivity and employee morale high throughout the year’s most absence-ridden periods and beyond.

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When Is National Sickie Day 2025?

National Sickie Day occurs on the first Monday of February each year — meaning that it will fall on Monday, February 3rd in 2025. The unofficial holiday was first coined by the British law firm ELAS in 2011, following a realisation among management that employee absences exhibited a dramatic spike on this specific day.

While generally seen as a lighthearted observance and not generally commemorated in any official way, some data suggests that National Pull a Sickie Day may have more truth to it than previously thought. In 2023, there was a 16% increase in absence rates on the first Monday of February compared to the average Monday of the same year. Examining the trend on a wider basis, workplace absences reached a 10-year high in 2023 — with employees taking an average of 7.8 sick days over the course of the year. Notably, the leading cause for these absences was cited as workplace stress.

The Employer’s Guide to National Sickie Day: Managing Absence in the Workplace

Few factors are as vital to overall business success as employee wellbeing. Workers who feel healthy and happy are much more likely to remain motivated, productive and loyal to their employers over time. On the other hand, employees who feel pressured to sacrifice their health in the workplace may become disengaged and suffer the effects of burnout.

If you’re worried about experiencing high levels of nonattendance on National Sickie Day, the following tips offer simple actions that you can take to prevent workplace absenteeism from becoming a significant problem.

Establish Clear Absence Policies

While it may sound basic, the presence of a robust and clearly-defined absence policy can be transformative when it comes to reducing the kind of disingenuous leave associated with National Sickie Day. Every member of staff should know precisely what’s expected of them in the event that they require time off due to illness — including who must be contacted, how and when to contact them, and whether any relevant physical documentation is required.

A comprehensive absence policy should provide a clear framework for any type of leave that employees are entitled to take. This includes leave for holidays, parents, sickness, bereavement, medical appointments and even extreme weather conditions or travel disruption. Once your organisation’s expectations around attendance and absence have been clearly established, some flexibility can be applied on a case-by-case basis to cater fairly to individual circumstances.

Promote Employee Wellbeing

Of the 33.7 million workdays lost in the UK throughout 2023 and 2024 — on National Sickie Day and beyond — approximately 16.4 million were attributed to stress, depression or anxiety. This striking statistic highlights the continuing impact of staff burnout and its profound effects on workplace productivity. By taking a proactive and constructive approach to employee wellbeing, employers can tackle absenteeism while creating a supportive environment in which both physical and mental health concerns can be addressed.

Just over half of UK organisations now have a dedicated employee wellbeing strategy in place. These frameworks offer dedicated support to employees in maintaining their physical and emotional wellbeing, and provide a dedicated avenue through which a sense of community and social belonging can be established at work. Wellness programmes, stress-management training, employee assistance programmes (EAPs) and team building activities can all be highly effective in preventing absenteeism and promoting workplace satisfaction.

Introduce Return to Work (RTW) Interviews

Absence is often a stressful experience for employees, and achieving a smooth transition back to their regular working routine can be challenging. Establishing a return to work (RTW) interview process will help your staff feel supported as they readjust, while improving communication and levels of trust with management.

The format of return to work meetings can be quick and casual, with the ultimate goal being to gain a deeper understanding of your employee’s absence record and reaching new agreements where necessary. Employees with disabilities which are leading to absences, for example, are entitled to support through reasonable workplace adjustments under the Equality Act 2010. The growing popularity of RTW strategies speaks to their effectiveness, with 63% of all managers citing return to work interviews as their primary tool in combating short-term absence.

Explore Flexible Working Opportunities

With the majority of workplace absences in the UK attributed to psychological stress, promoting a healthy work-life balance has become crucial in maximising performance. The introduction of flexible working policies is one of the most powerful ways in which levels of employee satisfaction can be improved today, with an astounding 76% of millennial workers expressing an expectation of some workplace flexibility.

While not always feasible and certainly a policy change which requires vigilant implementation, relevant organisations should not ignore the potential performance improvements that adaptable working arrangements can offer. According to research by Gallup, fully remote (37%) and hybrid workers (36%) exhibit much higher levels of employee engagement than those working on site full-time (30%), showcasing the importance of considering a more dynamic approach when it comes to curbing absenteeism.

Overcome ‘National Sickie Day’ and Workplace Absenteeism with Red Letter Days Corporate

While National Sickie Day only comes around once per year, recent rises in employee absence present a consistent and tangible threat to many workplaces. However, there are many strategies which can be employed to combat the emergence of absenteeism in your organisation. From optimising your absence policies to prioritising staff wellbeing, introducing return to work interviews and considering the adoption of flexible working — effectively reducing the effects of absenteeism requires a holistic and employee-centric strategy.

Are you worried about absence rates within your business, or simply seeking creative new ways to maximise employee engagement? Contact the Red Letter Days Corporate team today to learn more about how we can help you to foster a satisfied and productive workforce.