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Why Mars UK has embraced CBT to help reduce sickness absence

Summary:

Mars UK has taken a proactive approach to sickness absence management. Over the past 18 months, all five of its in-house OH nurses have been trained in CBT skills, a technique they describe as invaluable. Paul Suff and John Ballard visited the company’s Slough site to find out why.

MARS UK has more than halved its sickness absence levels over the past two years, from around 6% a year on average across the firm to under 3%. This follows the introduction of a more proactive attendance management strategy. Over the past 18 months, the company has been using cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to assist employees suffering from stress and…

John Ballard is editor of Occupational Health [at Work].

Paul Suff is contributing editor of Occupational Health [at Work].

Author: Ballard J, SUff P

Tags absence case study cbt - cognitive behavioural therapy Rehabilitation sickness absence

Occupational Health at Work April/May 2008 (vol. 04/6) pp12-16

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