Quantifying the burden of persistent musculoskeletal pain in employees at Rolls-Royce in the United Kingdom: a real-world cross-sectional survey.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the burden of persistent musculoskeletal (MSK) pain in Rolls-Royce UK employees.

METHODS: Employees with (n = 298) and without (n = 329) persistent MSK pain completed a cross-sectional survey. Weighted regression analyses were conducted to compare sickness absence, work ability, workplace accommodations/adaptations and emotional well-being between these cohorts, controlling for confounders.

RESULTS: Persistent MSK pain (particularly back pain) had a significant impact on physical work ability, and was associated with increased sickness absence due to pain. Many employees (56%) had not disclosed their condition to their managers. Of these, 30% felt uncomfortable doing so, and 19% of employees reported insufficient support at work for their pain.

CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the importance of creating a workplace culture that encourages the disclosure of work-relevant pain, enabling organisations to consider improved, tailored support for employees.