Stress and flu drive record worker absences in 2025

Stress-related complaints and flu were the leading causes of employee absences in the Netherlands throughout 2025, according to occupational health services ArboNed and HumanCapitalCare. Both agencies reported that overall absenteeism remained high and called for increased preventive measures, including faster support for mental and physical health issues.

The year began with an unusually high number of sick reports. In February, the Netherlands experienced the highest peak in absenteeism in four years, largely due to flu symptoms. Another sharp increase occurred in September compared with August, again driven by flu.

Stress-related absences have risen sharply over the past five years, with ArboNed and HumanCapitalCare reporting a 36 percent increase. Currently, one in four days of employee absence is attributed to stress, and the duration of these absences is lengthening, often resulting in months-long work interruptions.

Stress is typically caused by a combination of factors. “Work pressure, personal situations, and societal developments increasingly interact,” said Redmer van Wijngaarden, company doctor and medical director at ArboNed. “Think of the ‘always-on’ culture, labor market shortages, and uncertainty about the future.”

Van Wijngaarden emphasized that the growing stress-related absenteeism requires more than individual interventions. “If we do nothing, the number of disabled workers will continue to rise, and pressure on organizations, the labor market, and the social security system will intensify. By sharing knowledge, strengthening absenteeism prevention, and better aligning policies, we can collectively reduce long-term absences.”