In the UK, companies are facing a wave of “apathetic” employees with mental problems who simply do not show up in the workplace, a lawyer specializing in employment law has revealed to The Telegraph.
Nick Hurley, partner and head of recruitment at Charles Russell Speechlys, said the number of companies seeking advice on what to do about unexplained worker absences has more than tripled since the pandemic.
“What we have noticed is that in sectors where wages and skills are perhaps a little lower, there is a definite increase in the number of employees who simply do not turn up for work – and leave their employer hanging,” Hurley told The Telegraph. “.
He explains that this sharp increase reflects the “increasing prevalence of mental health issues” and “a sense of apathy” among workers, who are often younger, adding that the issue is more serious in sectors such as retail and hospitality.
Conditions such as depression and anxiety have become more prevalent since the outbreak of the epidemic, especially among young people, and have contributed to a rise in the number of people unemployed due to long-term illness, which has reached a record high of 2.8 million.
The increase in absent employees was also driven by professionals who felt confident they could “get work elsewhere quickly,” Hurley said.
He added that the post-Covid shift to “more permissive working models” had also led to “people being more likely to cheat their employers and take some advantage”.
As a result of all this, companies face significant costs as they have to seek legal advice on their disciplinary options and find last-minute alternatives.
Although there is no official data, a 2022 survey of 158 companies that collectively employ more than 300,000 employees revealed that since the pandemic, one in three workplaces have taken formal disciplinary action for unauthorized absence.
In addition to legal support, companies are also seeking more mental health advice.
“There has been an increase in questions from employers about how they deal with mental health issues in the workplace,” said Meryl Schindler, head of recruitment at Withers. “Employers are having to deal with things they are not used to dealing with, including very serious issues.” “
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