Wellbeing | Why is January the worst month for staff absences?

January is the month with the highest number of sick days taken by employees in the UK, with coughs and colds, musculoskeletal problems and mental health issues being largely to blame.

Research from CharlieHR found that the number of employees taking sick days in January 2017 (1,248) was 53% higher than the average for the other 11 months of the year (816). The winter months are the most popular for sick days, with January being followed by February, with 1,114 sick days taken; and March, with 1,054.