CIPD conference helps businesses combat absence at work

Sickness absence at work is increasing according to research from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). This year alone the average level rose from 0.2 % to 3.7%, 8.4 days per employee per year costing businesses 659 per employee per year. The CIPD Annual Absence Management conference will discuss the underlying issues of absence, discuss future government proposals for health strategy and provide practical solutions to develop an attendance culture.

The conference will take place on 20 November 2007 at the Millennium Hotel London Mayfair and on the 28 November 2007, at the Midland Hotel , Manchester.

Highlights from the conference include:

Bill Gunnyeon, Director for Health Work and Wellbing, Department for Work and Pensions on Keeping Britain at Work ñ The Role of Health and Work

Helen Cooke, Assistant Director of Workforce Planning, Great Ormond Street Hosiptal for Children and Loiuse Caldwell, Human Resource Officer, Euro Tunnel on The Role of the Line Manager in managing attendance

Chris McDonald, Head of UK Health and Wellbeing, AZ and Dave Wallington, Group Safety Advisor, BT on Wellbeing at Work: Developing an Attendance Culture

An open debate and discussion session on Role of GPs in Absence Management with representatives from the DDP, DWP, Copha, Norwich Union Healthcare and Sayeed Khan, Chief Medical Advisor, EEF The manufacturerís organisation

Ben Willmott, CIPD Employee Relations Adviser says: ììCIPD research shows the huge impact that employee absence has on employers. By managing absence effectively and supporting employee wellbeing employers can cut costs and improve productivity as well as help employees with health problems make timely and successful returns to work.

The CIPD Absence Management Conference will help employers develop holistic and practical approaches to managing absence management and supporting wellbeing that address both short-term and long-term employee absenceî