However, the number of days taken off due to ill health dropped from 164 million in 2004 to 66 million in 2005, which is the lowest level since the CBI's annual Absence and Labour Turnover Survey began in 1987. 400 employers were quizzed in the survey and they believed that 13% of staff absences were not genuine, costing £1.2 billion in illegitimate sick days every year. Despite the reduction in the number of sick days taken by employees, the CBI still argues that the UK suffers from a "culture of absenteeism".

Small firms with fewer than 50 employees are performing well in terms of absenteeism, with only 4.2 sick days taken per year. Large firms employing over 5,000 people have an average of 7.4 sick days per year.

The CBI identified three key ways of reducing staff absenteeism: waiting a few days to pay sick pay; offering bonuses for good attendance; and providing early access to medical care through private medical insurance.