Employees kept in dark on sickness benefit - GRID

A significant number of UK employers routinely keep important details of their benefits package under wraps from staff, according to new research from Group Risk Development (GRID).

The trade organisation for the group risk industry quizzed 500 UK employers and the results reveal as many as one in four (25%) are not open about their sickness provision.

When asked to elaborate, 8% of businesses questioned had a policy in place but preferred to maintain secrecy about the details, 12% said they treated each case on its own merits and, worryingly, 5% said they had no provision at all - but that staff might not be aware of this.

Katharine Moxham from GRID, said: "By keeping details of benefits such as group income protection under wraps, employers are missing a powerful opportunity to motivate personnel and foster self reliance."