Many small businesses are not taking sufficient action to help reduce absenteeism among their staff, according to research by Benenden Healthcare Society.

The study found that two-thirds of small companies, employing 25 people or less, possess no formal plan to tackle absenteeism.

It also revealed a regional disparity in prevention planning among small businesses. A third of companies in the South have a plan to combat the problem, while almost three quarters of northern firms do not have a policy in place.

“It is essential that companies look at how this absence can be managed so they can minimise the consequences. It is worrying to see that so many businesses in the UK do not have a plan to tackle the problem,” says a spokeswoman for Benenden Healthcare.