🌟 Concern Grows Over High Sickness Absence at Caerphilly Council 🌟
Caerphilly Council is under pressure to confront its rising staff sickness rates. A recent report reveals that employees took an average of 14.69 sickness days in 2024-25, up from 13.62 the previous year. 🚨
Social services and housing are seeing the highest absence rates, marking a concerning trend for three consecutive years. Councillor Colin Mann has speculated that these absences could cost the council millions! 💸
Amid tight budgets and increasing workloads, the pressure on staff is evident. Acknowledging this, Cllr Gary Johnston noted, “we know we are asking our staff to do more for less.” 😟
A key debate at a recent committee meeting centred on how to reduce these soaring rates. Cllr Marina Chacon-Dawson queried whether Caerphilly is learning from other councils, while Head of People Services Lynne Donovan said increasing absence levels might be linked to a fatigued workforce. 💤
But there could be hope on the horizon! Mark S Williams, the executive director, shared that discussions are ongoing with the Welsh Local Government Association to address this issue. Encouragingly, the current year’s figures show a slight improvement, as Williams assures that the council is being “as proactive as we can” to curb this trend.
What do you think Caerphilly Council can do to tackle these absence rates? Let’s discuss! ⬇️