2023-10-19 08:17:40
The number of employees reporting sick increased once more in September for the first time since February. People get the flu more often and often report sick due to stress that may be related to an autumn blues, according to occupational health services ArboNed and HumanCapitalCare.
Absenteeism due to illness rose from 4.1 percent in August to 4.4 percent in September. At a rate of 4.4 percent, 44 out of 1,000 working days are missed.
The number of sick reports per 1,000 employees increased from 39 in August to 55 in September. In recent months, the number of sick reports has actually decreased.
According to the occupational health and safety service providers, the higher absenteeism due to illness is consistent with the time of year. “We see absenteeism due to flu-like complaints increase every year between September and February,” says company doctor Redmer van Wijngaarden, also director of medical affairs at ArboNed.
“Viruses circulate more if we spend more time indoors and can infect each other more easily.” According to him, the peak of illness due to flu often only occurs following the New Year.
‘Let people work from home more often’
Van Wijngaarden says that an increase in absenteeism due to illness can have a major impact on the workplace. This is partly because absenteeism has been high for years due to psychological complaints and the tightness on the labor market. “Companies can anticipate this by letting people work from home more often or taking hygiene measures,” says Van Wijngaarden.
According to ArboNed and HumanCapitalCare, a quarter of absenteeism days are due to stress. This may indicate signs of autumn depression. From September to November, occupational health and safety service providers receive 30 percent more sick reports due to stress than during the rest of the year.
“People suffer from depression and extra fatigue or have no desire and energy to do things,” says Van Wijngaarden. According to him, this is partly due to a disturbed biological clock.
“Because it gets dark faster, your body prepares for the night and you get tired sooner. We also absorb less sunlight. As a result, your body produces less serotonin, the substance that creates a feeling of happiness.”
‘For most people it’s more of an autumn blues’
Not everyone suffers from this equally. “For most people it is more of an autumn dip,” says Van Wijngaarden. According to him, getting as much fresh air and light as possible is the way to avoid that dip or depression. Exercise and a fixed rhythm can also help with this.
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