The latest CIPD/Simplyhealth report shows that absence has soared to the highest level in over a decade, with employees taking an average of 9.4 days off in the past year – up significantly from 7.8 days in 2023.
While some of this reflects sickness, voluntary absenteeism may also be playing a part.
Voluntary absenteeism refers to situations where employees choose not to attend work, even when they are capable of doing so. It is consistently associated with disengagement, work dissatisfaction and a disconnect between an individual and their working environment.
It’s avoidable, costly and closely linked with factors that managers can influence. In other words, voluntary absenteeism is an organisational culture issue – not a medical one.
This is where Belbin comes in. Understanding the behavioural dynamics behind avoidance can help leaders rebuild engagement, clarify expectations and design teams where people genuinely want to contribute.
Low job engagement is one of the strongest predictors of absenteeism. Employees who feel undervalued, unchallenged or disconnected from their team are more likely to withdraw – first psychologically, then physically.
Workplaces where people feel unsupported or unsafe – socially or psychologically – show higher levels of absence. Poor managerial relationships, unclear expectations and a lack of recognition all contribute to avoidance.
Many cases of voluntary absenteeism stem from unresolved interpersonal friction, mismatched working styles or unmet role expectations. When individuals feel their natural strengths are ignored or misused, disengagement increases.
Ironically, absenteeism can become self-reinforcing: when teams are unbalanced, some individuals overwork while others withdraw. This creates resentment and increases the likelihood of further voluntary absence.
Belbin isn’t an attendance tool. It tackles the causes of voluntary absenteeism, not the symptoms.
Belbin identifies individuals’ roles and contributions within a team. When these strengths are recognised and used, people feel more valued, less stressed and more motivated to show up consistently.
A common cause of disengagement is uncertainty – not knowing what “good” looks like. Belbin provides language and structure to clarify who does what and why, reducing the sense of ambiguity that often leads to withdrawal.
Voluntary absenteeism often arises from team tension. Belbin helps teams understand behavioural differences, reframe frustration as complementarity and develop working agreements that keep conflict constructive.
When a team lacks certain roles, pressure can accumulate as others try to fill the void. Belbin helps leaders strengthen team composition so work is shared more evenly – reducing burnout-driven avoidance.
Belbin encourages managers to shape job roles around strengths. When people feel their contribution matters – and are able to play to their strengths – discretionary effort increases and voluntary absence decreases.
Organisations looking to tackle voluntary absenteeism can:
Voluntary absenteeism is a symptom of deeper issues – disengagement, behavioural misalignment and lack of clarity.
These are challenges that cannot be solved by attendance policies alone.
By understanding how people prefer to contribute and designing teams accordingly, Belbin helps organisations tackle the root causes of avoidance.
The result is a more engaged workforce, stronger relationships and a culture where people choose to show up – because they feel their presence makes a difference.
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