On 6 April 2026, the Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) weekly rate increased to £123.25, or 80% of average weekly earnings if lower, for the 2026/27 tax year.
Many commentators believe this will create an increase in short-term sporadic absence, meaning effective absence management will become critical. With this in mind, what proactive steps can business owners and managers take?
Return to work interviews
If you don’t already carry them out, return to work interviews are an important tool when managing absence.
Return to work interviews are vital in assessing risk, supporting employees and reducing unnecessary absence. They allow you to collate absence information, spot patterns that may need to be investigated, or uncover underlying health conditions that require support.
If an employee has made you aware of an ongoing health condition, scheduling regular welfare checks to ensure they are fully supported at work may reduce future sickness absence. Open communication is key for business owners, their teams and can be vital for the success of the business.
Supporting employees – preventing absences
Employees may be absent from work for many reasons. It’s worth considering what support is in place to prevent any unnecessary absence.
Here are some questions to think about:
- Is the work environment and culture welcoming, safe, supporting, inclusive and confidential?
- Is there an Employee Assistance Programme in place so employees can confidentiality seek the appropriate support for an array of life challenges?
- Could you introduce a health cash plan where employees have 24-hour GP access and the ability to claim back fees for dental treatments, diagnostics, holistic therapies and more?
- Are managers aware of where to signpost employees for additional support?
Providing the right positive work environment for employees can often produce better outcomes, help retain good workers and drive an organisation forward.
Manager training – empower your managers
Managers need to feel confident in supporting employees and managing absence – along with being aware of the potential implications if this isn’t handled correctly.
Managers should be:
- Confident in having timely difficult conversations
- Approachable and willing to communicate openly
- Able to handle absence appropriately and sensitively
- Equipped to offer additional support for employees
- Proactive in carrying out effective return to work interviews
- Leading by example and creating a positive workplace culture
- Applying absence management policies fairly and consistently
To ensure that managers feel confident in managing absence, a tailored training package may be useful to your organisation. Please reach if this is something you wish to discuss this in more detail.
How we can help
We can produce ideas that your organisation could introduce to manage sickness absence effectively, enhance workplace culture, and offer the appropriate levels of support where necessary.
- Post employment health questionnaire
- Health cafes
- Open communication channels
- Healthy eating days
- Setting accessible health related challenges / team goals
- Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
- Ensuring employees have the right to disconnect and championing this
- Footers on email clearly stating working hours
We are here to help you prepare and enhance your absence management strategies in the workplace, so these new rules don’t negatively impact your business. If you are interested in working with us, feel free to contact our team today.
This article is distributed for educational purposes only and should not be considered advice. We recommend that you seek professional advice.
This article is based on current UK legislation, that is subject to change at any time.
