We've all been there, waking up with your morning alarm clock to find your nose streaming, your head pounding and all form of motivation to get out of bed completely missing.

Nobody enjoys being unwell, but sometimes taking time off to get your strength back is the only feasible step forward.

Unfortunately, as an employer who struggles with budgets, profits and productivity, staff sicknesses - however necessary - can be a major headache to deal with.

A lot of the stress comes down to the financial cost of covering absences - either by forking out to get extra staff on board or by overloading and slowing down other team members - which adds up to an average of £455.95 per employee.

Avoiding sickness leave as much as possible is key to limiting these negative impacts. However, you'll never be ever to eliminate absences entirely, so learning how to manage them goes hand in hand with preventative measures.

With this in mind, we've put together some top tips on building a healthy and happy business which can handle inevitable absences with ease. Take a look.

#1: preventing ill health at work

Keyboards, surfaces, break and food preparation areas - your workplace is a breeding ground for lots of harmful germs which can cause illnesses to spread like wildfire through your staff.

A thorough cleaning rota (you may want to hire external help depending on the size of your building) will ensure everywhere is spotless and safe.

You can also encourage high personal hygiene standards by keeping washroom facilities spick and span. Hand dryers, sanitizers and soaps should always be available for everyone to use - with cleaner hands and surfaces it'll be much harder for bugs to spread.

#2: creating an inclusive culture

Mental health problems, like depression and anxiety, were the number one reason for absences in the UK last year - leading to 17 million days off.

Tackling this subject requires lots of sensitivity and tact. The stigma which still exists around mental health makes it hard for people to acknowledge problems and take time off, and can cause tension with colleagues or bosses who aren't understanding of such difficulties.

Creating an inclusive working culture is crucial, and comes from being open, honest and supportive. It's also a good idea to look at training supervisors and other staff members in things like stress management.

#3: re-evaluating your absence policies

There are strict regulations in place regarding absence policies and pay which you must legally obey - being clued up about those will keep you on track, in the eyes of the law at the least.

Despite this official backing, lots of employees feel pressured to work despite feeling unwell, leading to the spread of germs. You can go above and beyond your duties by assuring your workforce that sick days are there to be used.

Again, an open doors policy will encourage your staff to be honest, as can being receptive to flexible ways of working for those struggling with a chronic illness.

Follow our advice and you'll soon be the proud owner of a workplace that privileges the health and wellbeing of all its staff by being sensitive and supportive to their needs.