WORKERS in the North-west have the worst sickness and absenteeism rate in the country, according to a new study from one of Bolton's largest employers.

AXA Insurance, which has 385 staff in its Nelson Square and Bradshawgate sites, joined forces with the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) to conduct the 2004 absence and labour turnover poll, entitled Room for Improvement.

They found that overall, British workers took 176 million sick days last year, costing £11.6 billion -- and this region is the worst culprit. Staff in the North-west took an average of 10.1 sick days last year -- the highest in the country -- compared with just 5.6 days in Scotland and 6 days in London.

The study suggested that the average worker took 7.2 sick days last year, an increase of half a day on 2002.

CBI deputy director general John Cridland said that while most absence was due to genuine minor sickness, the cost of workplace absence was "worryingly high."

"As costs rose in 2003, many services firms were forced to slim down and conduct the same amount of work with fewer staff," said Cridland. "This increases pressure on employees and possibly affects morale, leading to an increase in absence."

Many employers who took part in the survey were concerned that a large number -- 15 per cent, or 25 million days -- were taken as a result of feigned sickness. In a study last month, doctors said 25 per cent of sick note requests were questionable, and 20 per cent were invalid.

These concerns come in the light of last month's Health of the Nation index survey from Norwich Union Healthcare, which questioned both the public and GPs. It found that three million workers in the UK would consider asking for a fake sick-note, while doctors said about 25 per cent of sick note requests are questionable, with 20 per cent being completely invalid.

Depression and stress were revealed as two of the main causes for sick notes and firms have reacted in different ways to absenteeism.

Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury's announced that they would not pay staff for the first few days of sickness absence, while others -- including AXA in Bolton -- have introduced "awaydays" for staff to encourage healthy eating, fitness and relaxation regimes.

WORKERS in the North-west have the worst sickness and absenteeism rate in the country, according to a new study from one of Bolton's largest employers.

AXA Insurance, which has 385 staff in its Nelson Square and Bradshawgate sites, joined forces with the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) to conduct the 2004 absence and labour turnover poll, entitled Room for Improvement.

They found that overall, British workers took 176 million sick days last year, costing £11.6 billion -- and this region is the worst culprit.

Staff in the North-west took an average of 10.1 sick days last year -- the highest in the country -- compared with just 5.6 days in Scotland and 6 days in London. The study suggested that the average worker took 7.2 sick days last year, an increase of half a day on 2002.

Many employers who took part in the survey were concerned that a large number -- 15 per cent, or 25 million days -- were taken as a result of feigned sickness.

These concerns come in the light of last month's Health of the Nation index survey from Norwich Union Healthcare, which questioned both the public and GPs.

It found that three million workers in the UK would consider asking for a fake sick-note, while doctors said about 25 per cent of sick note requests are questionable, with 20 per cent being completely invalid.