New research to mark Blue Monday on 15 January 2024 has revealed that 18 million days per year, on average, are lost at work due to mental health conditions.
Deemed the most depressing day of the year, the timing of Blue Monday is based on a formula using factors such as debt levels, weather conditions, time since Christmas, broken new year’s resolutions and low motivational levels.
Every year, the UK workforce loses on average 146.6 million days due to sickness, which equates to approximately 4.5 days per worker – or almost a full working week. As January approaches, employers pay particular attention to absences as workers contend with flu season, as well as post-holiday blues and holiday-related illnesses.
Personal injury experts (claims.co.uk) analysed the Office for National Statistics’ sickness absence data from 2018-2022 to reveal which demographics are most likely to miss work, and identify the most common reasons for doing so.
TOP REASONS FOR WORKPLACE ABSENCE
The study revealed that the main reason that workers call in sick are minor illnesses such as coughs and colds. Approximately 33 million days, on average, are lost per year due to minor illnesses. The data also found that 12% of the working days lost were due to mental health conditions such as stress, depression, and anxiety – making this 18 million days per year, on average.
On the other end of the scale, an average of 7.4 million days were lost with workers preferring not to provide a reason for their absence.
| Reason Given For Sickness | Number of Days Lost (Millions) | Percentage of Days Lost |
| Minor Illness | 33.0 | 22.5% |
| Musculoskeletal | 24.8 | 17.2% |
| Other | 30.5 | 20.3% |
| Mental Health | 18.0 | 12.0% |
| Gastrointestinal | 8.2 | 5.7% |
| Respiratory | 8.4 | 5.5% |
| Eye / Ear / Nose/ Mouth / Dental | 4.3 | 3.0% |
| Genito-Urinary | 3.2 | 2.2% |
| Heart, Blood Pressure, Circulation | 4.9 | 3.3% |
| Headaches and Migraines | 3.9 | 2.7% |
| No Reason Given | 7.4 | 5.1% |
AGE & GENDER IMPACT
The study also found that workers aged between 50 and 64 lose more days at work than any other age group, with an average of 56.3 million total days lost per year. This equates to approximately 6.1 lost days per worker, annually. In fact, the 16 to 24 age group only lost an estimated 10.2 million days per year – which is 65.2% lower than the average. This equals 2.7 days lost per worker each year.
With regards to gender, women on average called in sick for 2.6% of their working days per year. This was 49.4% higher than for men.
RedArc, the nurse-led health and wellbeing service, is bracing itself for a busy Q1 as analysis of 2023 referral data highlights that there were 42% more new mental health cases when compared to the average for the rest of the year. This also correlates with 34% more nurse activities to support mental health in Q1, and 30% more courses of therapy being sourced and arranged for mental health conditions.
Anxiety, stress and panic disorders were the conditions needing the most support, followed by general mental health issues, and then depression and mood disorders. These referrals highlight that although 15 January has the “dubious accolade of Blue Monday”, all three months in Q1 might be blue for some. With debt concerns, poor weather, less daylight, failing New Year’s resolutions, and motivational levels at a low, the entire winter period is a struggle for many and can trigger a deterioration in mental health.
SEASONAL ANXIETY & STRESS
With this in mind, insurers, advisers and employers need to ensure that support is available from clinically trained professionals to safeguard the mental health of individuals. RedArc warns that there is a fine line between seasonal anxiety and stress, and the emergence of a mental health condition. Some individuals will instinctively put self-help mechanisms in place to help them through this period but others may find it hard to cope and need professional support.
“A lot gets written about whether Blue Monday is just a self-fulfilling prophecy, but our data shows that the January Blues is not just a fallacy,” stated Christine Husbands, Commercial Director of RedArc. “Many issues can come to the fore in the darker, winter months, which, for some, can be too much to cope with.”
REGIONAL VARIATIONS
Some UK regions have higher sickness absence rates than others. For example, workers in the North-East of the UK reported the highest sickness absence rate, according to claims.co.uk. The region – which covers County Durham, Northumberland, Tyne-and-Wear, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough and Sunderland – loses an average of 5.1 days per worker annually. This equates to approximately 6.2 million days yearly; a 48% increase compared to 2018, according to the study.
The East Midlands (comprising Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, and Rutland) is the second region where workers are most likely to call in sick, with 4.9 days lost per worker annually. This equates to 11.4 million days lost each year. Third is Yorkshire and The Humberside (Bradford, Calderdale, Doncaster, Hull, Leeds, North Lincolnshire, Sheffield, Wakefield and York) with an annual average of 4.8 days lost per worker. This equates to a loss of 12.5 million days each year.
Interestingly, workers in Wales took more days off than any other UK country. Wales loses approximately 5.9 days per worker each year, while Scotland (4.8), England (4.4), and Northern Ireland (4.4) lose considerably less.
EMPLOYER DUTY OF CARE
Sick days lost from work can have detrimental effects on both workers and the company. “For employees, frequent absences due to illness can result in increased stress and workload upon return, negatively impacting their overall job satisfaction and well-being,” stated claims.co.uk. “From the company’s perspective, a reduction in workforce attendance can lead to productivity losses and delayed project timelines.”
RedArc believes that no matter where an insurer, adviser or employer stands on the issue of Blue Monday itself, they have a duty to offer comprehensive mental health support to the many people who look to them for help at this time of year.
To ensure the most appropriate support is offered, it is vital to start any support programme with a clinical assessment from a trained mental health practitioner which will usually include the use of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9) and the Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD7) to fully assess the individual and to provide a benchmark for further assessment at a later date.
This assessment will also enable support to be tailored to the individual as personalised support is vital in achieving long-term improvement in mental health conditions. It also means that outcomes can be measured.
SUPPORT FOR SPECIFIC GROUPS
RedArc also highlights that particular groups may need extra support at this time, including those with additional needs (i.e. people with physical health issues, the neurodiverse) and the vulnerable. Those who support others with mental health conditions are also sometimes more susceptible to mental health deterioration at this time of year too.
“Both the support itself and the communication of that support need to be ramped up during January and beyond,” added Husband. “Whilst most people who feel low will improve without external help, it is impossible to single out those who will develop longer-term anxiety or depression, so offering comprehensive support to everyone possible is a must.”
WHAT CAN EMPLOYERS DO
“Rather than viewing Blue Monday as a time to curl up and avoid the world, employers can take the chance to promote mental health awareness, to offer support and to make sure that they have the right provision in place,” stated Debra Clark, Head of Wellbeing at Towergate Health & Protection.
There are many types of support that can be implemented with Blue Monday in mind, according to Clark. Family budgets are often stretched post-holiday season and addressing financial concerns of employees can help to address mental health issues too. This does not have to come down to offering higher salaries, shared Clark. Access to financial education can be very beneficial and there are many options for discounts and vouchers from certain retailers. Setting up group risk benefits for life assurance, critical illness, and income protection, can help to put employees’ minds at rest about an uncertain future.
Statistics point to higher numbers of people filing for divorce in January. This is also a multi-faceted issue, where employees could benefit from support in terms of legal advice but also with mental health issues, childcare, finances, social anxiety, and much more.
Mental health support in general is a vital part of any wellbeing programme but particularly so in January. There are a lot of options employers can choose to offer, from meditation and yoga classes to wellbeing apps and counselling, as well as employee assistance programmes (EAPs), which offer several avenues of support.
SUPPORTIVE COMMUNICATIONS
So, how should support be communicated? It is important to make sure that the wellbeing support offered by employers is wide-reaching but also that it is widely communicated, and ongoing, given the varying reasons for deteriorating mental health in January.
“Typically people only take notice of the things that directly affect them. If they are not suffering from mental health issues at the time, they will likely ignore any messages regarding mental health support. This is why it is vital that a wellbeing programme has all elements regularly communicated, so that support is front of mind at the time that it is needed,” explained Clark.
A mix of communication methods is often the most successful option in reaching the widest number of employees. Employers can consider emails, apps, portals, workshops, webinars, team meetings, case studies, and more. Employees struggling with mental health can also be signposted to free external support, from organisations such as:
- Mind (a mental health charity) – www.mind.org.uk
- The Samaritans (a charity to support anyone in distress) – www.samaritans.org
- StepChange (a debt advice charity) – www.stepchange.org
- Citizens Advice Bureau (for legal and financial support) https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/
- Relate (relationship support and counselling) – www.relate.org.uk
HEALTH MAINTENANCE
Given the contagious nature of minor illnesses, leading to workplace absences claims.co.uk offers five strategies to help workers maintain health during winter commutes. They include:
- Hand Hygiene: Carry a travel-size hand sanitiser and use it regularly, especially after touching surfaces on public transportation.
- Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated, which supports overall health and can help alleviate symptoms.
- Boost Immunity: Maintain a balanced diet with a focus on fruits, vegetables, and immune-boosting foods.
- Layer Clothing: Dress in layers to adjust to temperature changes during your commute, helping to prevent overheating or getting too cold.
- Maintain Personal Space: Be mindful of personal space in crowded areas and maintain a safe distance from others to minimise exposure to germs.
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