Sir Charlie Mayfield, a senior government adviser and former John Lewis boss, suggests that workers should make phone calls instead of sending texts or emails when they need time off due to illness. This recommendation stems from his investigation into the 300,000 people who exit the workforce annually because of health issues. He believes direct conversations can foster better understanding between employers and employees regarding sick leave, potentially reducing long-term absences.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-23,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Sir Charlie Mayfield, a government-appointed back-to-work expert and former John Lewis boss, has advised sick workers should phone their bosses instead of sending texts or emails. This recommendation is part of an effort to rehumanize workplace communication and address the 300,000 people who leave work annually due to health issues, costing Britain around £212 million a year in benefits and lost productivity. Mayfield's report emphasizes that calling fosters dialogue and helps prevent long-term absence; however, it does not mandate sick workers call while experiencing severe symptoms like flu or food poisoning. The goal is to establish supportive workplace practices alongside the NHS, aiming to reduce the 77% increase in young adults (aged 16-24) citing health issues impacting their work capability.
Written for “Sick Leave Phone Policy” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 2 other(s) covering the same event.
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Workers wanting to take time off sick should be forced to speak to their employer directly about their absence rather than simply sending a text or email, a senior government adviser has said.
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adviser → see → text
Sir Charlie Mayfield said that he wanted to 'change the norms' and block almost all employees from being able to just disappear after firing off a message.
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he → say → message
The former John Lewis boss has been leading a Government-commissioned investigation into the 300,000 people who fall out of work each year with health conditions.
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who → lead → conditions
In an interview he said that there needed to be major changes in workplaces, suggesting managers are too frightened of receiving complaints or being taken to a tribunal to contact workers who are off to check how they are.
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they → say → workers
Instead they should work together on 'return to work' plans, and be able to discuss any work-provided treatments, like physiotherapy, or offered different roles.
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they → work → roles
'It's very important that you're immediately establishing a contact, a dialogue, between the employer and the employee,' he told The Times.
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he → establish → Times
'So you can't just text, send a WhatsApp, or send an email.
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you → text → email
You've actually got to ring somebody up.
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You → get → somebody
Sir Charlie Mayfield said that he wanted to 'change the norms' and block almost all employees from being able to just disappear after firing off a message
The former John Lewis boss has been leading a Government-commissioned investigation into the 300,000 people who fall out of work each year with health conditions
'
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who → say → conditions
It gives you the opportunity to have a conversation.
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It → give → conversation
To say, I'm really sorry to hear that.
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I → say → that
How long is this going to be for?
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this → go → long
Is there something we can do about it?'
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we → do → it
He added: 'We're saying that we should change the norm so that it's almost never the case that you should be allowed to be off sick without being in contact with your employer.'
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you → add → employer
Sir Charlie's report, titled Keep Britain Working, found that the majority of these long-term absences could be prevented through a more joined-up effort between the NHS, employers, local councils and other support services.
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majority → title → NHS
It also recommended sharing more data across employers, in order to compare differing rates of disabled and ill people who are able to participate in the workplace, and answer questions about why.
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who → recommend → why
Sir Charlie said: 'Britain has spent too long treating economic inactivity as a welfare problem.
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Britain → say → problem
Instead, it's one of the largest and most attainable growth opportunities this country has.
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country → have → opportunities
Britain needs to treat young people on benefits with 'tough love' as the current system has become 'a total state failure', Alan Milburn has said
'We've had a National Health Service for almost 80 years.
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We → need → years
We've never had a Workplace Health System.
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We → have → System
That is why the same people appear on the welfare bill, on NHS waiting lists and in the productivity figures without anyone being able to join them up.
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anyone → appear → them
It's also why we are missing the best moments to help people.
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we → miss → people
The new Workplace Health System would change that.'
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System → change → that
It came after another adviser said Britain needs to treat young people on benefits with 'tough love' as the current system has become 'a total state failure'.
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system → come → love
Alan Milburn, the former Labour minister who is currently writing a review on youth unemployment, said the state should provide greater employment support in exchange for a new 'duty to engage'.
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state → write → duty
Those on health and disability benefits who are capable of working should be met with an 'obligation' to use that support, he added.
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he → work → support
The Aporia
