Short-Term Absence is Becoming HR’s Biggest Pressure Point Ahead of SSP Reform

Short-term sickness absence is already the most pressing sickness-related challenge for employers, and looming reforms to Statutory Sick Pay are set to intensify the pressure.

New insight from WorkNest suggests that more than a third of employers now view frequent, short-term absence as their biggest sickness management issue. With significant changes to SSP taking effect from April, HR leaders are facing a convergence of higher cost, greater complexity and increased operational risk.

The reforms mark a fundamental shift in how sickness absence will be experienced and managed across the workforce, particularly for lower-paid and part-time employees.

Why SSP reform changes the equation

From April, SSP will become payable from the first day of sickness, removing the current three unpaid waiting days. At the same time, the lower earnings limit will be abolished, extending entitlement to the lowest-paid workers. An estimated 1.3 million additional employees will now qualify for SSP.

The combined effect is clear. More absences will be paid, more employees will qualify, and sick pay will more closely reflect actual earnings. For employers, that translates into higher direct costs and greater exposure to frequent, short-duration absence.

WorkNest’s findings suggest many organisations are already struggling. Thirty-seven percent cite high levels of short-term absence as their primary sickness challenge, even before the reforms take effect.

As Tracey Burke, Senior HR Consultant at WorkNest, warns, brief absences that previously attracted little or no SSP will now become payable, potentially altering employee behaviour and absence patterns.

A trend already moving in the wrong direction

The timing of the reforms is significant. Recent workforce data suggests short-term absence has been rising since the pandemic, driven by a combination of burnout, mental health pressures and changing attitudes to health and work.

The CIPD Health and Wellbeing at Work Report 2025 found that short-term sickness absence had overtaken long-term absence as the most common issue for employers, with stress-related absence continuing to increase. Meanwhile, the Office for National Statistics Labour Market Overview 2025 reported persistently elevated sickness absence rates compared with pre-pandemic levels.

Against this backdrop, SSP reform does not create the problem, but it does amplify it.

The operational risk for HR teams

For HR leaders, the challenge is not just cost. It is control.

Short-term absence is harder to manage than long-term absence because it is more frequent, more fragmented and often sits in a grey area between genuine illness and disengagement. Without clear processes, it quickly becomes inconsistent.

WorkNest’s survey suggests confidence is already fragile. While most employers describe themselves as only “somewhat confident” in managing sickness absence, one in ten admit they are not confident at all. That lack of confidence becomes more problematic when the financial and legal stakes rise.

Inconsistent handling of absence does not just increase SSP costs. It exposes organisations to discrimination claims, unfair treatment allegations and employee relations disputes, particularly where similar cases are handled differently.

Line managers sit at the centre of the risk

A consistent theme across absence research is the critical role of line managers. They are the ones having day-to-day conversations, making judgement calls and enforcing policy in real time.

The Gartner HR Priorities Report 2025 highlights manager capability as one of the biggest risk factors in people policy execution. Where managers lack confidence, training or authority, policies fail in practice, regardless of how well they are written.

As WorkNest notes, inconsistency in absence management is not just a people issue. It is a cost and legal risk. Without clear guidance and manager confidence, employers lose control of absence levels and increase exposure to claims.

Why policy alone will not be enough

Many organisations will respond to SSP reform by updating policies. That is necessary, but insufficient.

The Acas Managing Attendance and Absence guidance update 2025 emphasises that effective absence management relies on early intervention, clear communication and consistent application. Policies that exist on paper but are unevenly applied do little to prevent abuse or support genuine health needs.

HR teams will need to focus on how absence processes are experienced, not just how they are designed. That includes return-to-work conversations, trigger points, reasonable adjustments and escalation routes.

A broader test of people management maturity

SSP reform is exposing a deeper issue. Many organisations have underinvested in absence management capability, relying on informal practices that worked when costs were lower and scrutiny was lighter.

As the financial and regulatory environment tightens, those informal approaches become liabilities.

The reforms also intersect with wider pressures around wellbeing, workload and retention. Organisations that respond with overly punitive controls risk undermining trust. Those that fail to act risk escalating costs and operational disruption.

What HR leaders should be doing now

With reforms approaching, HR leaders have a narrow window to prepare.

That preparation should include reviewing absence policies, auditing current absence patterns, and, critically, investing in line manager capability. Managers need clarity, confidence and support to apply policies consistently and fairly.

Clear communication with employees will also be essential. Expectations, processes and consequences must be understood before the reforms take effect, not after.

Short-term absence may seem like an operational detail, but under the new SSP regime it becomes a strategic issue. For HR leaders, how it is handled in the coming months will be a test of governance, capability and credibility.

HRD Connect Curators of the New Business Landscape. HRD Connect produces industry-recognized content for senior HR leaders. Through articles, case studies, Q&As, podcasts, events, and more, we offer truly progressive and cutting-edge insights designed to help people leaders address core HR challenges and add greater value to their business.

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