Inquiries about artificial intelligence-powered absence reporting services have surged by 54% in recent months, according to Moneypenny, as employers across the UK look for faster and more consistent ways to handle staff sickness notifications.
Streamlining absence reporting
The company’s AI Absence Line allows employees to report that they are unable to attend work at any time of day or night, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The system captures the relevant information, asks follow-up questions to clarify details and instantly notifies the employer, ensuring that every absence is recorded in a uniform manner. Crucially, the service removes the need for managers to take early-morning phone calls, which can be disruptive and time-consuming. By providing a simple, judgement-free reporting channel, the technology is designed to create a better employee experience while maintaining clear and consistent absence processes across the business.
For managers, the benefits are significant. Automating absence reporting reduces the administrative burden of handling paperwork and phone calls, freeing them to spend more time supporting their teams. The system also gives organisations greater visibility of workforce attendance, allowing them to spot patterns or issues more quickly. Moneypenny describes the AI Absence Line as a low-risk entry point for businesses exploring the potential of artificial intelligence, because it addresses a well-defined, repetitive task with clear returns in efficiency and consistency.
Company and market context
Moneypenny, founded in 2000 and headquartered in Wrexham, is a global customer communications company that provides telephone answering, live chat and digital communication services to more than 21,000 companies across the UK and the United States. Jesper With-Fogstrup, who became group chief executive in 2025, said major events such as the World Cup often bring workforce planning into sharper focus, particularly for organisations managing large teams, shift workers or customer-facing operations.
“Employers need accurate information quickly when someone is unable to attend work, whatever the reason,” With-Fogstrup said. “Just as importantly, employees want a simple and straightforward way to let their employer know they can’t make it into work. What we’re seeing is a growing number of organisations looking for smarter ways to manage that process. By automating absence reporting, businesses can reduce administration, improve consistency and free managers to spend more time supporting their people rather than managing paperwork and phone calls.”
Sector adoption leads
Moneypenny’s data also reveals which sectors are driving the uptake of this technology. Healthcare organisations are leading the way in adopting AI absence reporting, closely followed by those in the property, business services and construction sectors. The findings come as employers continue to look for ways to reduce administrative burdens on managers and HR teams while ensuring employee absences are recorded accurately and consistently. The AI Absence Line was designed with that goal in mind, offering a standardised, automated process that works around the clock.
