In today’s fast-evolving workplace, UK employers face a perfect storm: rising mental health concerns, an ageing workforce and the long-tail impact of the pandemic. Absence rates are at their highest since records began in 2010, driving significant costs through lost productivity, higher premiums and reduced engagement. Our 2026 Absence Management survey shows over half of organisations report challenges from rising absence costs, with 51% seeing more short-term absence and 55% more long-term absence.
Effective absence management is no longer optional - it’s a business imperative. Success requires a proactive, holistic approach that combines data analytics, employee wellbeing and operational efficiency. By addressing root causes and implementing targeted interventions with clear policies and communications, companies can reduce costs while fostering a culture of care, resilience and performance.
Why WTW?
At WTW, we understand that employee absence is more than just a cost — it's a warning sign. Whether it's short-term sickness, long-term leave, unplanned absences, or challenges with presenteeism, each case tells a story about your workforce, your culture and your business operations. Our Absence Management and Consulting practice is designed to help UK organisations decode these signals, reduce absence-related costs and build healthier, more resilient workplaces.
Bringing together a blend of data-driven insights, clinical expertise and strategic consultancy, we partner with employers to design and implement absence strategies that are proactive, sustainable and aligned with business goals. From policy design and process optimisation, to vendor management and pathway mapping, we help you manage absence in a way that supports both your people and your performance.
We partner with some of the UK's most complex organisations to simplify the employee absence journey. By gaining an understanding of your business model and the stakeholders involved, we help to maximise the value of your policies, get your employees back to work sooner and prevent spiralling absence claims and rates.
How can we help?
- Apply best practice to existing absence processes
- Review vendors to map clear pathways to signpost employees to the most appropriate benefits and support available
- Independent review and creation of sick pay, leave and absence policies
- Provide bespoke Employee and Employer communications, clarifying clear milestones and obligations when absences occur
- Audit existing benefit designs, incorporating benchmarking data to ensure the most appropriate solutions are in place to support your workforce
Occupational health
WTW has a number of in-house occupational health solutions. From occupational health tender support to our own fully fledged occupational health team, we can support you and your employees from day one of absence.
- Dedicated occupational health case manager overseeing all cases
- Reviewing clinical reports from a HR perspective
- Complex long-term case management
- Early absence intervention
- In House Consultant Occupational Physician & Occupational Health Adviser
- Clinical advice, assessment and reporting on fitness to work
- Ill health early retirement
- Workplace evaluation assessment
- Return to work recommendations
- Signposting to alternative clinical support
- Ergonomic and Enablement Workplace Assessment
- Occupational health tender support
- Ad Hoc/PAYG Service
Absence management
Even the most experienced employer can struggle with knowing which services to use when trying to support an absent employee. Our Absence Management services offer ongoing support for both employers and employees along every step of the absence journey.
- Our bespoke Absence Management service provides a single port of call for all absence concerns, giving employers a consistent absence journey and full co-ordination of services across multiple locations
- A CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) qualified HR professional will work as an extension to your HR team, co-ordinating the services with our in-house clinical team and leveraging any other rehab support services that an employee may be eligible for
- By providing a consistent framework for your absence processes, our team will co-ordinate services, reduce long-term employee absence and ensure sustained return to work outcomes
- As a WTW client, you will have access to policy discounts and funding through our selected panel of insurers
Operational claims handling
The management of absence and the claims administration associated with group income protection policies can be time-consuming and an inefficient use of internal resources. We can co-ordinate the claim process from start to finish, liaising directly with your employees, the benefit provider and key stakeholders within your business to create efficiencies and reduce time spent by the business.
- Fully outsourced day one absence and income protection claims administration
- Support for HR, payroll, absent employees and the wider business
- Management of claims from point of notification to conclusion
- Consideration of government legislation surrounding mandatory benefits and sick pay provision
- Review and creation of bespoke templates and employee communications to mitigate liabilities and outline the obligations for both the employee/employer
Occupational health tender support
Absence rates are increasing, with many employers seeing a sharp increase in the cost of Occupational Health.
Reviewing your Occupational Health provision to ensure it's agile enough to support the organisations objectives is often the first step in starting your absence strategy journey.
We know that it takes a lot of time and money to manage occupational health. That's why we're here to help.
From reviewing your current Occupational Health provider to ensure you're getting the full value from your contract, to assisting you with a local or global Occupational Health market review, our experienced Consultants are on hand to support you and build your strategy to tackle absence in a consistent way across key business areas.
