After a largely sunny, warm summer in the UK, data from our AVA absence line has shown relatively low levels of sickness absence. Outside of long-term sickness linked to specific individuals, there have been the usual sniffles, stomach bugs and musculoskeletal issues.
But now that the clocks have gone back, the nights have drawn in and the mercury on the thermometer has dropped, we're noticing a clear trend. Cough and cold season is upon us, and absence levels are starting to rise. And we've not even had the first frost!
Nothing new here, you might say. This happens every year at around this time.
But what if this is actually an opportunity to do something different?
Understanding your absence data means you can start to see much more than simply how many days people are taking off sick. You can identify recurring types of illness, patterns across different days of the week, months or seasons, and differences between departments or locations.
And importantly, you can start to plan accordingly.
If you know that certain types of absence regularly increase at particular times of the year, you have an opportunity to prepare rather than simply react. That might mean reviewing staffing arrangements, planning additional cover or introducing relevant health and wellbeing initiatives before the seasonal increase begins.
Knowing exactly what's happening is a really good start. But it's what you do with that information that can make the difference.
For example, if you're seeing an increase in respiratory illnesses, it might be an opportunity to remind employees about flu vaccinations, access to virtual GPs or other healthcare services.
If musculoskeletal issues are recurring, perhaps it's time to look at workplace assessments, physiotherapy support or other preventative measures.
And as the darker months arrive, it might also be worth reminding employees about the mental health and wellbeing resources available to them, particularly those who may be affected by seasonal changes in mood.
Of course, many employers already have some excellent health and wellbeing benefits in place. The challenge is making sure employees know about them and, perhaps more importantly, can access them when they actually need them.
You might have a fantastic virtual GP benefit available to your workforce, but if someone is feeling unwell at 7am and can't access the company intranet to find the login details, it's not particularly helpful at that moment.
Being reminded about that benefit, with the relevant access information, when they're reporting their absence? That's a different story.
And that's where AVA comes in.
Our digital absence line doesn't just capture consistent, accurate information about unplanned absence. It can also connect employees with relevant NHS resources and employer-provided health and wellbeing benefits at the point they report being unwell.
Over time, the information AVA captures helps employers build a clearer picture of absence across their organisation, identify recurring patterns and understand where earlier support or intervention might make a difference.
We can't prevent every winter cold, stomach bug or seasonal illness. But we can get much better at understanding what's happening, preparing for it and making sure employees have access to the support that's already available to them.
So, as we head into another winter sickness season, perhaps the question isn't just how much absence you're expecting, but what your absence data could help you do about it.