Free webinar will offer strategies to support employee wellbeing as sickness absences rise

Employers across the region are facing unprecedented challenges in managing employee wellbeing and sickness absence. 

According to the latest CIPD Health and Wellbeing at Work Report (September 2025), the average employee in the UK now takes 9.4 sick days per year, the highest level in over 15 years. This represents a significant increase from 7.8 days in 2023 and 5.8 days prior to the pandemic. 

Adding to this challenge, new statutory sick pay rules coming into effect in April 2026 under the Employment Rights Bill will remove the three unpaid waiting days and the lower earnings threshold, meaning more employees will qualify for sick pay —driving up costs for employers.

To help businesses and charities navigate these pressures, Corsham-based KR HR & Training Consultancy and Bristol-based Excellect are teaming up to co-host a FREE 30-minute webinar designed to provide practical strategies for supporting employee wellbeing and reducing sickness absence. 

The session will be led by Kathryn Fairlie, a chartered HR specialist, and Nynke Hunter, an employee benefits expert. Attendees will gain actionable insights on: 

• Proactively supporting employee wellbeing 
• Reducing sickness absence effectively 
• Preparing for the upcoming 2026 sick pay changes 

Kathryn Fairlie, Director at KR HR & Training Consultancy, said, “We first launched a webinar series in conjunction with Swindon & Wiltshire Growth Hub back in lockdown covering a variety of topical HR subjects relevant to the challenges businesses were facing at that time. With the upcoming employment law changes, we felt it timely to launch easy-to-access free bitesize training for employers to help put them in the best possible position to adapt and thrive, hence our new “Positive People Practices” webinar series. 

“I’m delighted to be welcoming Nynke Hunter from Excellect to our first webinar, as I know she will bring lots of valuable tips for businesses on how to support their team’s wellbeing and in turn, reduce absence costs.” 

Webinar details:

• Date: Wednesday 12 November 2025
• Time: 1pm
• Duration: 30 minutes
• Cost: Free 

Business leaders, HR professionals, and managers are encouraged to attend to ensure they are equipped to meet these challenges. To register, book your free place online. 

For more information, please contact: Kathryn Fairlie kathryn@krhrconsultancy.co.uk or 07971 670878 

Pictured above: Kathryn Fairlie, Director of KR HR & Training Consultancy Ltd