The research from BHF’s Health at Work programme revealed that 2% of the UK workforce call in sick every week, costing the UK economy £100 billion a year.
It also found 44% of the eight million workers with long-term health problems say they can’t fully perform their working duties.
The highest level of sickness absence is in the public administration and defence sectors, where 51,000 people typically phone in sick a week.
The charity said employers have a role to play in encouraging healthy behaviour and helping employees avoid preventable conditions like heart disease.
Health at Work project manager Lisa Purcell said: “The risk of numerous health conditions reported by workers, including coronary heart disease, can be significantly cut with improvements to their lifestyle.
“Businesses that have prioritised workplace health have been able to create a healthier, more productive workforce with fewer days lost to sickness. But at the moment, too many businesses are missing this golden opportunity to improve the health, morale and productivity of their workforce.”
