How to retain employees looking to leave on 'national sickie day'

According to YouGov research, over a third of Brits don’t like their job, with men less likely to say they enjoy their jobs than women.
Although pay remains a prominent factor valued by employees, under half (47%) of Brits are ‘satisfied’ with the level of their salary. However, research collated by Instant Offices reveals the shocking truth: only 20% of Brits think they’re in good jobs with a relatively decent wage.
Last year, over half (51%) of people had planned to move jobs by the end of the year, resulting in many businesses having to redouble their efforts to look for new talent going into 2020.
Research shows that January 31st was the day that Brits were most likely to hand in their notice, despite this, the first Monday in February is the when most people call in sick.
National sickie day
Traditionally, the first Monday in February – affectionately known as ‘national sickie day’ – is the day when most employees call in sick. In 2017, it was estimated that approximately 350,000 people called in sick, with the most popular reasons including:

• Flu
• Stress/depression
• Back pain
• Anxiety
• Common cold
• Migraine

Research also shows that this is the day that many Brits take the day off to have an interview, having re-evaluated their careers following the Christmas period. The top five reasons why employees look to hand in their notices:

• Low salary (35%)
• Job tenure (23%)
• Monotonous or boring work (22%)
• Job location or length of commute (20%)
• Disapproval of their boss or line manager (18%)

What can employers do to retain talent?
Ensuring employee satisfaction can prove challenging for businesses as the fabric of a workplace, and what is deemed to be important continues to change. As the departure of employees within the first quarter is all but certain, there are a few key factors that companies should consider guaranteeing employee satisfaction and employee retention.
Focus on improving work-life balance with flexible working options
76% say they have some freedom over the way they work.
Once a ‘nice to have’, flexible working options and flexitime have steadily become a top priority that workers want from an employer in order to improve the work-life balance. Consider allowing earlier finishes during summer months, or remote working to help keep
Discuss opportunities for growth and development
8 in 10 people saying they would leave a job where there was no development.
The beginning of the year is typically when most people reflect on various aspects of their life, including their current job. Feelings of stagnation or disengagement are just two factors that drive employees to quit.
Focus more on mental health
Almost a quarter of all UK workers report demanding working conditions in their current roles with 2 in 5 stating a high workload is the cause of stress and depression at work.
With Time to Talk Day coming up on the 6 February, it is the prime opportunity to eliminate the stigma and start the conversation around mental health.
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