DE - Presenteeism costs twice as much as costs due to sickness absence, says German study 10.06.2011
According to a study published by the German Felix Burda Foundation, presenteeism - circumstances in which employees come to work even though they are ill - costs twice as much as sickness related absence from work.
The study estimates an annual cost of 225 Billion Euro – 9% of the GDP - to the German economy due to sickness of workers. The total sickness-related cost per worker (absenteeism and presenteeism together) is estimated to be about 3600 EUR/year.
The study is based on a qualitative survey among enterprises and experts. It advocates health promotion at enterprise level and a preventive approach tackling in particular psychosocial and organisational issues at the workplace. It also lists recommendations for successful health promotion programmes at enterprise level and policy considerations for health promotion through preventive services and social security organisations.
The Felix Burda Foundation is a non-profit-making institution of the Hubert Burda Media Corporation.
