HR and accounting professionals have the highest absenteeism rates across all industries, with a Bradford Factor (BF) of 113, research has revealed.
Anonymised data from employment and payroll platform Employment Hero, which covers 105,000+ UK workers, shows that Gen Z HR workers are struggling the most. HR professionals in this demographic have a BF score of 185, which is considered high risk and indicative of potential underlying wellbeing or engagement concerns.
By comparison, the BF for the education sector is just 25.
BF is a formula used in HR to measure the impact of employee absenteeism, especially short-term absences. It’s based on the principle that frequent, short-term absences are more disruptive than fewer, longer ones. It may be used to identify patterns of frequent short-term absence and may prompt employer intervention. Any score over 100 indicates a pattern of frequent absences, and could lead to further action.
Critics of the formula warn it can penalise genuine illness, especially chronic conditions, and may discourage people from calling in sick, leading to presenteeism.
Further data shows that larger employers have two times more absences than micro businesses, while junior and intermediate staff are more likely to take unplanned leave than senior leaders.
Employers with more than 500 employees recorded an average BF of 73, more than double that of businesses with fewer than 20 staff, which had a BF of 33.
Full-time workers are also significantly more likely to be absent, with an average score of 48, compared to 37 for part-time and 18 for casual staff.
Previous research from Employment Hero revealed that Gen Z are experiencing the highest levels of burnout, with 72 percent reporting symptoms during the past three months.
Kevin Fitzgerald, UK managing director at Employment Hero, said: “Sadly, the high rates of absenteeism are not surprising given the typically high workloads and stress many professionals experience, but these rates must be taken seriously.
“These numbers should prompt serious reflection across the industry. High absenteeism – especially among younger, more junior employees – suggests a disconnect somewhere in how we’re supporting early career talent.
“HR and accounting are the engine rooms of any business and the cost of lost time and productivity is significant. The health and wellbeing of these professionals underpins the health and wellbeing of the workforces they manage and support, so it’s vital professionals in HR and accounting get the help they need and these rates are reduced substantially.
“This is part of a wider challenge. Our latest Jobs Report shows Gen Z employment fell by 1.9 percent in April, with wages for this group also declining by 0.2 percent. These trends highlight a real risk of long-term disengagement and economic impact. Gen Z are the future of our workforce – and if we don’t act now to support them, the consequences could reverberate across the economy for years to come.”
For more on the health and wellbeing of HR professionals and how to protect this business critical group of employees, listen to our recent podcast ‘Wellbeing: HR is supporting everyone, but who’s supporting HR?’
