More workers calling out sick as flu, coronavirus spread

Absenteeism due to illness is on the rise again, mainly due to workers getting the flu or coronavirus. Though the number of sick reports due to mental health complaints is also on the rise, NOS reports based on figures from occupational health and safety services Arboned and HumanCapitalCare.

Absenteeism was 4.3 percent in September, 0.3 percent higher than in August. This increase is expected in the autumn, but due to the widespread staff shortages, increasingly hard on businesses. Absenteeism was highest in education, public administration, and healthcare at about 5.7 percent in September.

In addition to the seasonal flu and coronavirus, Arboned also noticed an increase in mental health complaints. “We see that psychological absenteeism has actually been increasing gradually for a long time and still has a large share within companies,” Arbonded director Redmer van Wijngaarden said to NOS. “That often has more impact because those people are often away from the workplace for longer.”

Due to the shortages in the labor markets, many companies have to do the same work with fewer people. “That also means you sometimes get more on your plate than you would like.” The health and safety services advised employers to carefully assess what things have priority and need to be done now and what can be postponed to avoid burning out their employees.

Arboned also advised employers to remind their workers of the basic coronavirus measures and to implement the “snotty nose protocol” - don’t come into the office if you’re sick, so that you don’t infect your coworkers.