Illness and injury cost New Zealand businesses nearly 7 million working days last year.
Photo: 123RF
Southern Cross Healthcare has released its Wellness in the Workplace survey covering 116,000 employees.
It found the numbers staying home sick or to care for unwell family members had increased from 6.1 million days in 2012 to 6.7 million last year.
And the increase between 2013 and 2014 alone worked out at an additional $200 million.
The survey also found public sector workers were absent from work 45.7 percent more than those in the private sector.
However, 35 percent of workers admitted to going to work sick - despite their workplaces encouraging unwell staff members to stay home.
