24 Sep 2019
Academics: we need your help to investigate attitude to sickness and sickness absence
As part of a drive to make Loughborough University a healthy place to work, we are investigating how we can best identify when people need help and support.
Traditionally, sickness absence is the thing that triggers action and support, but often colleagues – predominately in the academic Schools – don’t take formal sick leave when they are unwell; they work at home instead, doing the parts of the job that they feel are essential or that they feel able to do.
This makes it harder for the us to recognise if staff are struggling, and opportunities to step in and offer help may be missed.
Professor Alistair Gibb in the School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering has been asked to lead a small study, using focus groups to explore why academic staff sometimes don’t take sickness absence or report sickness, and what the consequences of this might be. The aim is to find ways improve the support the University offer.
We are looking for academic staff to attend a focus group, lasting up to two hours. These will be held across campus during September and October.
The focus groups will be led by Dr Wendy Jones – a researcher who has specialised in workplace health and has an occupational health background.
All discussions will be held in confidence, with only anonymised results being reported back.
Please contact Dr Jones on w.jones2@lboro.ac.uk if you would like to take part or would like more information about what the study involves.
Neil Budworth
Health, Safety and Risk Manager