Havering Council has reported a continued downward trend in staff sickness absence, with the average number of days lost per employee decreasing from 10.8 in 2023/24 to 10.2 in 2024/25. This improvement places the council ninth among London boroughs for reduced sickness absence.
However, long-term sickness absence remains a challenge, with an average of 6.9 days lost per employee, which is slightly above the London average of 6.4 days. Mental health-related absence continues to be the primary cause, consistent with wider trends across the capital. The Wellbeing Annual Report 2025 indicates that stress, anxiety, depression, and work-related pressures are the leading reasons for employees seeking help through the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), which saw a significant rise in usage.
The council's proactive HR interventions have contributed to these improvements. Beyond simplifying sickness categories for better data analysis and offering wellbeing support, the HR Advice & Consultancy team has held a series of surgeries with managers to explain changes and reinforce effective sickness management strategies and available support tools. Referrals to the Occupational Health provider have also increased.
Following a mid-year provider change, Optima Health is now the council's occupational health and employee assistance programme provider. While the specific reasons for the change were not detailed, it is noted that this transition may have temporarily impacted referral numbers. Officers suggest that the high referral numbers could indicate a proactive approach to staff wellbeing. It is anticipated that referral numbers may see a slight reduction in 2026 as the previous pause in referrals naturally balances out.
The total cost of sickness absence for Havering was £3.29 million, which is below the London average. A breakdown of this cost reveals that mental health-related absences accounted for £270,746 (8.49%) for anxiety/depression/other psychiatric illnesses, £246,767 (7.74%) for non-work-related stress, and £260,411 (8.17%) for work-related stress. Musculoskeletal absence cost £559,056 (17.54%).
Musculoskeletal issues have been identified as a particular concern within the catering team, accounting for approximately 24% of all cases. This will be addressed through a review of existing risk assessments and the implementation of additional training needs.
For context, some London boroughs are performing significantly better in reducing sickness absence. Councillor Taylor noted that Bexley averages 5.3 days lost per employee, Kensington and Chelsea averages 6.6 days, Kingston averages 7.1 days, and Richmond averages 7.8 days. Outer London boroughs have shown the most significant reductions in sickness levels, with the 'Outer 14' group reporting the lowest short-term sickness absence rate at 2.10 days, potentially offering best practice insights.
Further details on HR metrics can be found in the Report - HR Metrics. Information on wellbeing initiatives is available in the Report - Wellbeing 2025.
