Quarter of UK bosses say long COVID is a main cause of long-term absence

A quarter of UK employers say long COVID is now one of the main causes of long-term sickness absence among their staff, according to research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

A survey of 804 organisations, (representing over 4.3m workers) revealed more that a quarter of bosses (26 per cent) put long COVID among the top three reasons for long-term absence from work. Almost half (46 per cent) of the British organisations reported having employees that had experienced long COVID.

The CIPD said that a fifth of employers didn't know whether their workers were experiencing ongoing symptoms following Covid-19 infection - indicating long COVID is underestimated as a workplace issue. Only 19 per cent provided guidance for their employees about managing health conditions while at work.

Long COVID 'emerging as a significant concern'

The CIPD stated in its ‘Working with long Covid' report (published 8 February): ‘The prevalence and impact of long COVID is emerging as a significant concern and needs ongoing attention from people professionals.’

NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) defines long COVID as ‘signs and symptoms that develop during or following an infection consistent with COVID-19 which continue for more than 12 weeks and are not explained by an alternative diagnosis’.

Long COVID symptoms can include fatigue, breathlessness, brain fog, slurred speech, chest pain, vertigo, poor concentration, short-term memory loss and changes in heart rate and blood pressure.

At the beginning of 2022, an estimated 1.3 million people reported experiencing long COVID, according to the Office of National Statistics.

Some people describe being bedridden and unable to do simple tasks, like sitting at a table to eat. Others describe feeling able to negotiate daily tasks but having periods of fatigue that limit their ability to fully participate in work, and as a result have not returned to work.

Other workers have left professional careers and are no reliant on benefits to support themselves financially.

Long COVID among NHS and social care workforce

The CIPD report highlighted the prevalence of self-reported long COVID is great in people working in health or social care as well as people with another activity-limiting health condition or disability.

One healthcare worker, referred to in the report, admitted: “Progress has been up and down, I was doing an hour and then having to take two days off to recover at the beginning.

“So it was really very, very slow. And now I’m at the point where I can do much, much more and be productive, but I’m still only me. I went in yesterday, and I was there for two hours, and then came home. And that was about it. That was all I could manage.” Relapse is common with 85 per cent of people with long COVID reporting that their symptoms had deteriorated after a period of improvement. Relapses can be caused by physical activity, mental activity and stress.

The report concluded people with long COVID had colleagues, friends and family members, line managers and HR professionals who ‘are depleted and preoccupied with other matters due to the pandemic. This means that many employees with long COVID may be receiving less support than those who experienced long-term illnesses pre-pandemic.’

The CIPD highlighted the pressure on the healthcare sector, combined with the high volume of people seeking diagnosis and support for long COVID, means that many people experience long wait times for diagnosis and treatment.

To support employees with long COVID return to and thrive in work, the CIPD recommends organisations ensure ‘line managers, are aware of, and compassionate about, the delays in securing a diagnosis and rehabilitation support as these are very likely to be beyond the control of the employee’.

The CIPD warns in its report: ‘Where employees are not supported and exit the workforce, this presents a significant loss of talent. With the current skills shortages in many sectors, this has implications for recruitment and training costs.’