The number of retail staff going into work while feeling unwell has soared to an 18-month high, while wellbeing levels have plummeted, Retail Week can reveal.

New data from the Retail People Index found 46% of retail staff reportedly went to work while feeling physically or mentally unwell between October and December – a 5% rise compared to the previous year.

The index, published by the Retail Trust and AlixPartners, also found workers’ wellbeing levels dropped during the same period to their lowest levels in 18 months – exacerbated by the autumn Budget and fears of job cuts.

The data showed that staff aged between 35 and 54 showed the highest increase in “presenteeism” during the period, up from 41% between July and September to 53% in the final three months of the year.

The Retail Trust provided over ÂŁ878,000 in financial aid to retail workers in 2024 – ÂŁ200,000 more than it contributed in 2023 – with requests for help to pay for food increasing threefold.

Retail Trust chief executive Chris Brook-Carter said: “The festive period always brings added pressures for retail workers but there was a noticeable increase in the number of people suffering last Christmas compared to the year before. We must put some of this down to the economic uncertainty facing the country and retail jobs following the tax rises announced in last autumn’s Budget.

“It remains to be seen whether wellbeing will improve this spring, as it did last year or if insecurities around jobs, finances and the political climate will continue to take their toll on employees’ physical and mental health. Either way, it’s clear that employers need to ensure staff have the right resources and reassurance to recover and rebuild their resilience following a difficult autumn and winter.”

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