Businesses benefit from healthy employees, according to thinking from Bibby Financial Services.
Employees are less likely to take days off if they feel they are part of a healthy, positive working environment, according to the company.
David Robertson, chief executive of Bibby Financial Services, said: "The impact of the average UK employee taking seven days sick leave a year, can have a significant impact on an organisations' productivity."
"Businesses that review staff well-being and take steps to provide a happy, healthy and positive working environment are less likely to find themselves with high absenteeism levels and a depleted bottom line," he added.
Communication, trust, training provisions, clear career progression opportunities, incentives and success recognition are all key to creating "a healthy and positive working environment", Bibby Financial Services said.
Research from the CBI found that the UK economy lost 21 million days during 2006 due to employee sickness.
Bibby pointed out that days off can have a particularly adverse effect on small businesses where one person being absent can cause a significant dip in output.
Recent research by Benenden Healthcare found that half of all workers have gone to work despite feeling ill.
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