After the peak in October, influenza and Covid-19-related absenteeism is on its way down.
Son – 17 November 2022. In October, the average absenteeism rate in the Netherlands increased to 4.8% (from 4.3% in September). In the past month, 4 out of 10 sick reports were related to the flu or Covid-19, according to figures of occupational health & safety services ArboNed and HumanCapitalCare, which are both part of the HumanTotalCare group and jointly work for approximately 1 million employed persons and 63,000 employers. We do not expect the absenteeism rate to decrease in the coming months. With the busy December month around the corner, occupational health & safety services advice employers to keep an eye on their employees’ work pressure and ensure a healthy energy balance.
Four out of ten sick reports related to Covid-19 and influenza
Influenza and Covid-19 remain the key drivers of absenteeism in October. Jointly, they were the cause for 4 out of 10 sick reports. “It is common for the absenteeism rate to increase during this time of year due to influenza,” says Jurriaan Penders, medical officer and director of medical affairs at HumanCapitalCare. “The relatively large increase is caused by a small peak in the number of Covid-19 infections. Fortunately, this peak has been declining since the end of October.”
The impact on the work floor is increasing
We do not expect the absenteeism rate to decrease in the coming months. Due to the tight labour market, it is difficult to replace employees who are absent, which influences the work floor. Earlier this week, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) and the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) published figures that show that work pressure goes hand in hand with mental symptoms. “For a while now, ArboNed and HumanCapitalCare have been noticing an increase in absenteeism related to mental causes. In the beginning of the pandemic, many employees experienced a better balance, but we have not succeeded in maintaining that balance. This might also be related to the fact that we work from the office more often, which results in more commuting time, more stimuli and less freedom to manage our schedule,” says Penders.
Advice: together find the right balance
ArboNed and HumanCapitalCare consider a healthy energy balance an important condition for keeping employees healthy and motivated at work. Penders: “In the end, it is about the sum of the things you do that cost and give your energy. In principle, work pressure and stress are not unhealthy, but if your energy balance takes a turn in the wrong direction, then you are more likely to experience them that way. Discuss this with each other so you can examine together what you can continue to do to increase your energy level. Solutions that appear simple, such as temporarily working from home if the position allows for this, can have a positive effect and make a big difference for everyone.”