Many companies were found wanting in terms of taking measures to boost employee engagement among staff who have been on sickness leave.

A study by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has discovered that two-thirds of employers did not take specific action to help ill workers get back into their roles.

Of those that did take such measures, the majority opted to stage meetings with staff members to discuss their needs, while a number also offered flexi-time arrangements.

Only a “slim majority” of bosses felt that offering health care provisions such as private medical insurance in an attempt to prevent absence was cost-effective.

The DWP survey also found that 61 per cent of respondents now offer flexible working arrangements and this was more prominent in larger corporations.

Research conducted by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development recently found that an increasing number of workers are now looking for new jobs that offer better pay and perks, rather than roles that give them more satisfaction.