Employees in Germany are sick more and more often. According to AOK, absenteeism is at a record level this year. There are ways in which companies can take countermeasures.
The number of employee absences due to illness will reach a record this year. Between January and August alone, there were around 225 sickness-related absences from work for every 100 insured people, as the AOK Federal Association determined based on sickness reports. At this point in time, that was exactly as many cases of illness as in the whole of 2023.
The expected flu wave in autumn and winter is still pending, said Carola Reimann, the chairwoman of the federal association, when presenting the current AOK absenteeism report 2024.
The drivers are respiratory diseases
For comparison: On average between 2014 and 2021, there were only just under 160 cases of illness per 100 insured people per year. “There are a variety of reasons for the high level of sickness in recent months and years,” emphasized Reimann. On the one hand, there is an actual increase in sickness cases. The drivers are still the so-called respiratory diseases, which also include Covid.
There have been around 75 of these illnesses for every 100 AOK members this year. Here too, the AOK expects a record high for the current year. In such cases, employees were on sick leave for around six days on average.
Psychological stress at work is increasing
Insurers also include mental illnesses as drivers. Between January and August there were around 15 such cases for every 100 insured people, which is already more than in 2023 as a whole.
Because employees in such cases are usually on sick leave for significantly longer than when they have a cold, for example, the number of absences due to mental illnesses increased by almost half between 2014 and 2024. In this case, employees are on sick leave for more than 28 days on average.
Employees in so-called contact-intensive sectors such as health and social services as well as education are particularly affected by mental illnesses, said Johanna Baumgart, head of the research department for occupational health promotion at the AOK Scientific Institute.
“This is not surprising when you look at how the psychological stress on employees has increased in recent years,” she emphasized. On the one hand, due to the diverse global crises but also due to specific stressors in the world of work: “Increased working hours, increased communication, increased flexibility are all things that can put pressure on the soul.”
There is no evidence of misuse of telephone sick leave
Another reason for the high level of absenteeism could be the permanent introduction of telephone sick notes and the associated automatic transmission to the insurance companies. This means that cases of illness are now recorded more comprehensively, because not all patients would have previously sent the medical certificate to the insurance company.
However, Baumgart made it clear that there was no evidence that telephone sick leave was being misused to any significant extent. “We can say very clearly that there is no evidence.” Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) recently spoke out in favor of abolishing this option in view of increasing absenteeism.
The Social Association of Germany (SoVD) described the figures in the AOK report as “alarming”. “Especially when it comes to mental illnesses, they clearly show that the intensity of the workload has continued to increase in many places,” said SoVD board chairwoman Michaela Engelmeier. The situation is being fueled by the growing shortage of skilled workers.
Connection between attachment and health
“The work has to be distributed among fewer and fewer shoulders,” said Engelmeier. Telephone sick leave, on the other hand, has proven to be very helpful and relieving for both doctors’ practices and patients.
The AOK report sees a connection between the employee’s emotional connection to his company and the health of the employees. “Surveys have shown that a high level of loyalty to the employer is associated with a subjectively better state of health.” Companies could further strengthen this bond by training managers accordingly and offering company health care.
Source: Stern
