Reducing Staff Absence Through Better Workplace MSK Support

Staff absence remains a major challenge for businesses across Sheffield and South Yorkshire, particularly as employers continue balancing productivity, retention and employee wellbeing.

While mental health rightly receives significant attention, musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions remain one of the largest causes of work-related ill health and lost productivity in the UK. According to the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), stress, depression or anxiety and musculoskeletal disorders accounted for the majority of days lost due to work-related ill health in 2024/25 - 22.1 million and 7.1 million days respectively.

Employees suffering from musculoskeletal disorders took an average of 14 days off work per case.

Source: https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/dayslost.htm 

For employers, the impact extends well beyond formal sickness absence. MSK issues frequently contribute to reduced productivity, discomfort at work, lower morale and presenteeism long before an employee actually takes time away from work.

The White House Clinic is seeing this first-hand across Sheffield and the wider South Yorkshire region, with increasing numbers of employees seeking treatment for conditions such as back pain, neck stiffness, shoulder injuries and repetitive strain problems linked to both desk-based and physically demanding work.

Hybrid Working Has Changed Workplace Health

Hybrid and remote working have introduced new physical health challenges for many businesses.

Long hours sitting at unsuitable workstations, reduced daily movement and poor posture habits have all contributed to rising levels of neck pain, lower back pain and postural stiffness across office-based workforces.

At the same time, sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, construction and engineering continue to face high levels of physical strain and repetitive load injuries.

In many cases, employees continue working while symptoms gradually worsen, eventually leading to more prolonged absences and more complex rehabilitation needs.

Early Intervention Makes a Significant Difference

One of the biggest mistakes businesses make is waiting until an employee is unable to work before encouraging them to seek treatment.

Many MSK conditions respond well to early physiotherapy intervention and rehabilitation before symptoms become more severe or persistent.

Early support can often:

• Reduce recovery times
• Minimise the risk of recurring issues
• Support safer returns to work
• Improve employee confidence and wellbeing
• Reduce operational disruption for employers

For SMEs especially, preventing even a small number of long-term absences can make a meaningful difference to productivity and staffing pressure.

The White House Clinic works with employees across Sheffield through its clinics in Sheffield City, Sheffield East, Sheffield Kelham Island, Sheffield North, Sheffield South and Sheffield West, helping improve access to physiotherapy and rehabilitation support across the city.

Supporting Employees Across South Yorkshire

Alongside its Sheffield clinics, the White House Clinic also supports patients and businesses across South Yorkshire, North East Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire through its wider clinic network.

Services include:

• Physiotherapy assessment and treatment
• Musculoskeletal rehabilitation
• Sports injury treatment
• Massage therapy
• Post-operative rehabilitation
• Exercise rehabilitation programmes
• Return-to-work support

Treatment plans are tailored not only to the individual but also to the physical demands of their role, whether that involves desk-based work, driving, healthcare, manual labour or physically active professions.

The White House Clinic also has extensive experience delivering workplace wellbeing and occupational health support for organisations including Aviva, Inspire Learning Trust and FluidOne.

Prevention Matters Too

Many workplace MSK problems develop gradually rather than through a single injury event.

Encouraging employees to address pain earlier, improve movement habits and access appropriate rehabilitation before symptoms worsen can significantly reduce the likelihood of prolonged absence later.

As businesses across Sheffield and South Yorkshire continue focusing on workforce resilience and retention, proactive musculoskeletal care is increasingly becoming a practical business investment rather than simply a reactive healthcare measure.

Businesses looking to support employee wellbeing, reduce musculoskeletal-related absence or access occupational health support can contact the White House Clinic for further information. Individuals experiencing pain, stiffness or injury can also book an appointment at one of the clinic’s Sheffield or regional locations.