50% of workers ‘took no sick days’

ALMOST half of Irish workers did not take any sick days last year, with latest findings showing they are more optimistic than 12 months ago.

Recruitment firm, Berkeley said the workforce appear to be “toughing it out” or staying extremely healthy, as 47% didn’t take any sick days last year.

This is slightly lower than the British figure of 49% and higher than the global average of 42%.

In Poland, almost 70% of workers did not take a sick day while in the Czech Republic, 12% of workers took more than 16 days sick leave.

“These figures are very encouraging to Irish employers as the workforce are proving to be among the hardest working and healthy globally,” said Berkley managing director Fergal Brosnan.

For the fourth consecutive quarter, Irish respondents to Berkley’s job market sentiment survey reported an improvement in their optimism.

From a high of 80% who described the market as weak in quarter one 2010, the figure now stands at 64%.

Encouragingly, 37% reported they were optimistic for the year ahead, compared with just 22% feeling the same in quarter three 2010.

Also almost three out of four (70%) Irish people believed business prospects were the same or better in their company than 12 months ago, against a global mark of 76%.

In the Q3 survey just 27% of respondents expected a pay rise in 2011, with this figure increasing to 37% in Q4.

“Ireland mirrors global figures, but at the top end people still value their worth, with 5% expecting a rise of 10% or more,” said Mr Brosnan.

More than half of Irish respondents said they would change jobs within six months for the right opportunity.

Motivations to move show a predictable shifttowards job security with 20% stating this as their primary motivator, up from 16% in Q3, the highest value of any country surveyed.

Mr Brosnan said overall they conclude that the measured optimism they have reported over the last four quarterly surveys continues.

He said it is continuing “not at a lightning pace” but the cumulative increases are bringing us back towards a ‘normal’ market, like that one we had before the Celtic Tiger.

“There are excellent opportunities for strong people, evidenced by Berkley’s open role levels being 250% higher than at the end of 2009.

“However, hiring companies need to place compelling reasons to move to the most in-demand individuals,” he said.