A survey has found that ensuring work/life balance is an employers' biggest health concern, ahead of occupational stress, HR Magazine reports.

The Sickness Absence Review was carried out by risk industry body, Group Risk Development (GRiD), who questioned 500 British employers, each with a workforce of up to 1,000 staff, about their wellbeing fears.

21 per cent of employers responded that that work/life balance was the most important issue, while 19 per cent responded that stress topped their list.

Additionally, 38 per cent insisted that they were "poised" to find measures to improve their employees' work/life balance, demonstrating that CEOs, interim managers and other senior staff recognise that a long hours culture is detrimental to health and productivity.

Almost a third of employers reported a drop in absence rates in the last year, with half of those claiming their figures to be lower than their industry average.

However, IFA Online suspects this could be because in times of "economic uncertainty", sick employees may turn up for work rather than risk a day at home.  

Commenting on the results, GRiD spokeswoman, Katharine Moxham said: "The recently published Sickness Absence Review recognises the importance of supporting employees to remain in the workplace.

"As welfare reform moves forward, any business that has already embraced the value of integrated health, wellbeing and absence programmes will feel vindicated while businesses that have not already understood how crucial this is will come to do so."

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