Record-Breaking Sick Days on the Horizon
As we roll into the latter half of the year, predictions are pointing towards a historical high in sick days taken by employees. According to the health insurance giants, the average worker might miss over 20 days of work in 2023.
The scary figure comes from the reports of the health insurance companies with a significant membership base, as revealed to the "Rheinische Post". DAK-Gesundheit, for instance, demonstrated a sickness rate of 5% in the third quarter, marginally surpassing the already high 4.7% in the same period the previous year. One might expect a dip in absenteeism due to the lack of a summer flu epidemic and the virtually halted coronavirus infection rate. However, the data suggests a different story.
DAK board member Andreas Storm anticipated that 2023 could mark the first instance in years where the number of sick days exceeds 20 for each employee. The other prominent health insurance companies have reported similarly alarming figures. Techniker Krankenkasse, for example, disclosed a sickness rate of 5.10% in the first ten months of the year, marginally above the equivalent figure in 2022 (5.17%).
The majority of days off were attributed to common illnesses like the flu, stomatitis, bronchitis, mental health issues, and musculoskeletal conditions such as back pain.
Young Employees and the Mental Health Crisis
Barmer has reported a surge in sickness rates as well. In the first ten months of 2023, roughly 6 million insured individuals took at least one day off due to illness. However, a portion of this increase can be attributed to the introduction of electronic reporting, which provides a more accurate picture of the actual sickness rates.
Statutory health insurance companies like AOK and Barmer GEK have also reported an unprecedented increase in sick leave among their members. AOK Rheinland/Hamburg, in particular, predicts that the working population under their coverage might take over 20 days off work due to illness on average. Barmer has identified mental health issues as a significant cause of absences among young workers, with Gen Z reporting particularly high rates of mental stress-related absences.
Source:
Insights
- Mental health issues are a leading cause of sick leave among young workers, with healthcare professionals being especially at risk.
- The ongoing pandemic has led to a resurgence of infectious diseases, including whooping cough, which affects nursing and childcare professionals.
- Musculoskeletal disorders are another frequent reason for sick leave, particularly among older healthcare workers.
- Occupational stress and high levels of stress contribute to serious mental and physical health disorders among healthcare workers and increased sick leave.
- Healthcare workers are at an increased risk of infectious diseases due to their exposure to patients and colleagues, leading to higher sick leave rates.
