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Attendance – Personal problems impact attendance according to HAS Healthcare. Productivity in Irish firms is being hampered by employee personal problems. A study by HAS Helathcare found that 33% of respondents cited personal problems as one of the top causes of sick leave absences at work, the second highest figure behind minor ailments such as cold and flu. However, HAS noted that few firms are making efforts to tackle the problem with only 36% providing an employee assistance programme and 11%offering other types of stress counselling. The survey also found that the greatest number of employees (60%) took between three and seven sick days annually.

Women returning to work after childbirth could help solve the skills shortages in many sectors, but only if the problem of occupational segregation is dealt with. The University of Sheffield’s report recommends industry to look into the problems faced by mothers returning to work, and recommends substantial changes to information guidance services, the development of accessible re-training schemes and initiatives to encourage employers to adopt flexible working practices.