Sick leave is a strain on both the employee and the company

There are significant personal costs for the strained employee, both in terms of finances and well-being

Sick leave is an expenditure that the majority of companies must take seriously, as it is not limited to the immediate reduction in workforce during the absence itself: the fall in both productivity and employee satisfaction can continue far beyond the actual sick leave period. Working preventively with sick leave can reduce expenses, both in terms of the decrease in productivity and the associated temporary replacement costs, phasing-in periods, etc. throughout any period of absence.

Also read: Sick leave: Everything from prevention to pay and rights

How can performance be improved in a department under pressure?

If your department is under pressure, e.g. as a result of too many assignments or too few resources, it can be hard to see how to improve performance.

One thing that can increase performance is using the correct tools at work, as using the incorrect tools will contribute to draining the employee’s energy – energy that should be expended on tackling assignments and not on handling work tools such as a computer mouse. It may seem strange that the small movements we make when using a mouse can often have a significant impact on how the work assignment is completed, but unfortunately it is true.

In a Nordic survey conducted by Coxit, as many as 65 per cent reported that, in their experience, ergonomic equipment had helped them to work more efficiently – a figure supported by similar surveys in other European countries.