Sick workers must phone their boss — not just text or email — says government's back-to-work tsar Sir Charlie Mayfield

From the Newshound archive · first published 23 September 2026 · last updated 24 September 2026.

Sir Charlie Mayfield, the former John Lewis chief who leads the government's Keep Britain Working taskforce, wants to end the practice of workers texting or emailing when they call in sick. He believes employees should speak to their manager directly, and has warned that Britain is doing a "poor job" of managing workplace illness, with 300,000 people leaving employment each year due to health conditions. His report put the cost of health-related economic inactivity to the UK at around £212m a year, counting both benefit payments and lost output.

A 77% surge in young workers aged 16 to 24 reporting health conditions that prevent them from working is driving the crisis, with mental health accounting for close to half that figure.

Mayfield argues that a "culture of fear" discourages managers from checking on absent colleagues — with employers too worried about grievances and tribunal claims to pick up the phone.

An adviser who already requires employees to phone in at companies she reviews reportedly said sick time fell by 40% — and insisted 'a vast majority of sickness is simply not genuine.'