Research and analysis

Employee research Phase 1 and 2

The research included two phases of mixed-methods research with employees and the self-employed, conducted to explore workers’ experiences of sickness absence, sick pay, occupational health, medical evidence, and workplace adjustments.

From:
Department for Work and Pensions
Published
15 March 2023
Last updated
15 March 2023 — See all updates

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

Documents

Employee research summary

HTML

Employee research Phase 1: Understanding the experiences of employees who have had a sickness absence

Ref: ISBN 978-1-78659-506-5, RR1020

HTML

Employee research Phase 1: Understanding the experiences of employees who have had a sickness absence

Ref: ISBN 978-1-78659-502-7, RR1020

PDF, 422 KB, 28 pages

Employee research Phase 1: Sickness absence, reasonable adjustments and Occupational Health

Ref: ISBN 978-1-78659-503-4, RR1021

HTML

Employee research Phase 1: Sickness absence, reasonable adjustments and Occupational Health

Ref: ISBN 978-1-78659-503-4, RR1021

PDF, 715 KB, 34 pages

Employee research Phase 2: Sickness absence and return to work

Ref: ISBN 978-1-78659-504-1, RR1022

PDF, 910 KB, 99 pages

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Employee research Phase 2: Sickness absence and return to work. Technical details.

Ref: ISBN 978-1-78659-507-2

HTML

Employee research Phase 2: Sickness absence and return to work. Technical details.

Ref: ISBN 978-1-78659-507-2

PDF, 281 KB, 12 pages

Details

The surveys update information last collected by DWP in 2014, whilst the qualitative research explored issues from the survey in greater depth.

Phase 1 of the research covers the following topics:

  • Health conditions of those in employment

  • Sickness absence

  • Workplace adjustments

  • Access to Occupational Health Services

The phase 2 report covers the following topic areas:

  • Sickness absence

  • Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) provision

  • Returning to work

This research will be published alongside an employer pulse survey (which was conducted to understand how employers supported the health of their workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic) and mixed-methods research with SMEs (which explored the extent of, and barriers to, SMEs providing health and wellbeing schemes for their employees).

  • The research provides a wealth of new data and information which is supporting the design and delivery of effective policies to improve health in the workplace and prevent ill-health related job loss

  • Information about OH access rates is enabling us to tailor the OH policy portfolio, for example at employees/employers currently underserved by the OH market

  • Government does not hold administrative data on sickness absences from work or on Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) received (since employers are not mandated to report payment of SSP). The surveys have therefore provided essential data which has enabled us to produce analysis for the temporary regulations which supported employers and employees during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as strengthening the evidence base in considering the future of SSP

  • The research also provides a key baseline against which we can monitor changes following the implementation of the policies in Health is Everyone’s Business

Published 15 March 2023
Last updated 15 March 2023 + show all updates

  1. Added research summary.

  2. First published.

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