Absence from work

Absence from work

(...) Promoting good health and attendance instead of penalising absence.

(DUBLIN, IRELAND) Average rates of absence across Europe are between 3% and 6% of working time and the cost is estimated to be about 2.5% of GDP, according to a new report from Eurofound on the patterns of absenteeism in the 27 EU Member States and Norway. Promoting good health and attendance instead of penalising absence has become a growing policy issue. Although countries reporting a decline in absenteeism slightly outnumber those with increases, the research shows there is no common pattern.

The research has uncovered two fundamental findings. The first is the limited amount of knowledge of the extent, causes and costs of absence. The second is a shift in policies regarding its management and control. Data on absenteeism scarcely exists in some countries and is patchy in others. In addition, the different definitions and means of measurement make international comparison difficult. There are few clear patterns in the data and no overall trend in the rate of absence, though the recent recession might exert a downward effect.

The most common causes of absence are health problems, although broader issues such as monotony and work-related stress are also mentioned in some countries.

The study addresses patterns of absenteeism EU27 and Norway, the costs involved, policies for dealing with absence and general developments in relation to promoting health and well-being.