Absence Management Services
Every unplanned absence leaves a gap: a shift left uncovered, a project stalled, a team stretched thin. At Flex Health, our Absence Management Services give employers a structured, clinician-led way to understand sickness absence, act on it early and support employees back to work safely and sustainably.
As the leading provider of Occupational Health and Physiotherapy in Yorkshire, we combine more than a decade of clinical expertise with a people-led approach. For your organisation, that means fewer days lost, lower cost and a healthier, more productive workforce, with the right support in place for the individual at every stage.
Why Absence Management Matters More Than Ever
Workplace absence in the UK has reached levels that few businesses can afford to ignore. The CIPD’s Health and Wellbeing at Work 2025 report found that average absence has risen to 9.4 days per employee per year, the highest in more than 15 years and up from 5.8 days in 2022. Heavy workloads were the leading cause of stress-related absence.
The Health and Safety Executive’s latest statistics tell a similar story. In 2024/25, an estimated 1.9 million workers suffered from work-related ill health, including 964,000 with stress, depression or anxiety and 511,000 with musculoskeletal disorders. Together, ill health and injury accounted for 40.1 million lost working days.
The financial picture is just as stark. The government-commissioned Keep Britain Working review estimates that employers pay around £10 billion a year in statutory and occupational sick pay. It also found that access to occupational health is far more common among large employers (86%) than among SMEs (30%), leaving many organisations without expert advice when they need it most.
The message is clear: a reactive approach to absence is no longer enough. Employers who take a proactive approach, backed by clinical expertise, are better placed to reduce absence, protect productivity and keep valued people in work.
What Our Absence Management Services Include
No two organisations are the same, so our Absence Management support is tailored to your workforce, your sector and your existing processes. Whether you need occasional advice or a fully managed occupational health programme, our services can include a wide range of options, all designed to work alongside your existing Occupational Health Services and HR policies:
Early Intervention
The sooner an employee receives support, the better the outcome. We work with you to identify absence early, often before a short spell becomes a prolonged one, and put the right clinical input in place quickly.
Occupational Health Assessments
Through our Occupational Health Assessment and Management Referral Service, an Occupational Health Nurse, Physiotherapist or Physician assesses how an employee’s health conditions affect their ability to work. Appointments are available on-site, in clinic, by video or by telephone.
Clear, Practical Occupational Health Reports
Our occupational health reports explain the clinical picture in plain English and answer the questions that matter to employers: is the employee fit for work, when are they likely to return, and what adjustments would help?
Return to Work Planning
We advise on safe return to work timescales, including phased returns, amended duties and altered hours, so employees rebuild their capacity without risking relapse.
Reasonable Adjustments
We recommend practical, evidence-based reasonable adjustments to help you meet your duties under the Equality Act 2010 and support employees with long-term health conditions to stay in work.
Physiotherapy and Onward Referral
Musculoskeletal problems are one of the most common causes of long-term absence. Our in-house occupational physiotherapy, backed by same-day rapid assessments, means employees can start treatment quickly. Where needed, we arrange onward referral to specialist services.
Wellbeing Support
From Know Your Numbers health screening to the Flex App, our employee wellbeing services help support employees’ physical and mental well being before problems lead to time off.
Case Management
For complex or long-term cases, we provide consistent case management, reviewing progress, liaising with HR and keeping every party informed until the case is resolved.
Managing Short-Term and Long-Term Absence Effectively
Short term absence and long-term absence need different responses, and understanding the pattern of employee absence in your organisation is the first step. Frequent short spells, often for minor illness, can disrupt teams and may point to an underlying health issue, stress or a problem at work. Long-term sickness absence, typically four weeks or more, carries a greater risk that an employee never returns at all. The longer someone is absent, the harder it becomes to return, which is why timely work support matters so much.
Addressing the Root Cause
Our experienced clinicians help you look beyond the headline absence rates to the factors driving them. For example, recurring back pain in a warehouse team may call for physiotherapy and a review of manual handling tasks, while rising stress-related absence in an office may point to workload or management issues. By addressing the cause rather than just the symptoms, you can manage absence effectively and fairly.
Where you have group income protection, short term disability or other insurance benefits in place, our reports can also provide the clear, objective medical evidence that insurers and claims teams need, supporting early rehabilitation and helping to resolve claims sooner.
Supporting Line Managers and HR Teams
Line managers are often the first to notice that something is wrong, but many feel unsure about what to say, what to ask or when to refer. Our team gives HR teams and managers the clinical expertise they need to have confident, compassionate conversations.
We explain our recommendations clearly, so you understand not just what to do but why. We also help you build a consistent process across your organisation, from return to work interviews and trigger points to referral routes and leave management. With good data and tracking in place, you can spot trends early, measure the impact of interventions and make informed decisions about where to focus resources.
Sick Pay, Compliance and a Changing Legal Landscape
The rules around sickness absence have changed significantly. Under the Employment Rights Act 2025, Statutory Sick Pay has been payable from the first day of absence since 6 April 2026, with the previous three waiting days removed and the Lower Earnings Limit abolished. The weekly rate is now £123.25 or 80% of average weekly earnings, whichever is lower.
These changes increase the direct cost of every sick day and make early, effective absence management even more essential. Getting clinical advice at the right time also reduces legal risk. Decisions about capability, adjustments or dismissal should always be informed by up-to-date medical evidence, and a well-documented occupational health process helps demonstrate that you have acted fairly and in line with your obligations.
At Flex Health, we help you stay informed of developments in employment health and translate them into practical steps for your business.
Proven Results for Employers
Our Management Referral Service is built around speed and clear communication:
- Employees are contacted within 24 hours of referral.
- Appointments are offered within five working days.
- Reports are returned to HR within 48 hours of the appointment.
The impact can be significant. Working with a global consumer goods business employing 1,800 people, our combined Occupational Health and Physiotherapy programme saved £64,321 over seven months and reduced return to work time by an average of 9.3 weeks.
Why Choose Flex Health for Absence Management?
At Flex Health, we are proud to be the leading provider of Occupational Health and Physiotherapy in Yorkshire, trusted by employers of every size to keep their people healthy, supported and at work.
For more than a decade, we have helped organisations manage absence with clinical expertise, fast access to care and a genuinely personal service.
Here is what sets our Absence Management Services apart:
- Clinician-Led: Every case is handled by qualified occupational health professionals, including nurses, physiotherapists and physicians.
- Fully Integrated: With occupational health and physiotherapy under one roof, employees get assessment and treatment without delay.
- Flexible Delivery: On-site, in our clinics in Hull, Sheffield, Beverley and Willerby, or remotely, supporting businesses across Yorkshire and the UK.
- For Organisations of Every Size: From small businesses without a retained provider to large employers needing a full Absence Management solution.
- People-First: We support employees with care and dignity while giving employers the clarity they need to plan.
Get in touch
Flex Health stands out as the regions leading physio & injury rehabilitation provider due to its comprehensive approach to our same-day rapid assessments.
For Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation call: 01482 966 006
For Occupational Health call: 01482 264 040