Sick leave in Germany 2023: 13% more sick notes - alarm for the economy

Sick leave in Germany 2023: 13% more sick notes - alarm for the economy

According to a report by www.tagesspiegel.de, sick leave in Germany was at a record level in 2023 for the second time in a row. Compared to the previous year, there were a total of 13 percent more sick notes. DAK-Gesundheit CEO Andreas Strom described the result as alarming for the economy, particularly due to the disruption to work processes in authorities and companies due to the shortage of skilled workers.

The DAK attributes this peak primarily to respiratory diseases such as colds and flu. Colds alone accounted for 16 percent of sick leave, while mental illnesses and musculoskeletal disorders also led to an increase in days of absence. The differences between professional groups were particularly striking, with employees in geriatric care and childcare reporting sickness at an above-average rate.

The DAK analysis is based on data from 2.39 million DAK-insured employees. DAK CEO Strom explained that short-term sick leave through electronic reporting procedures could partially explain the increase, but long-term illnesses such as depression were responsible for a large proportion of the absences.

The impact of this record high on the labor market and the financial sector could be diverse. Increased sickness levels have a direct impact on company productivity as work efficiency decreases and replacement staff costs arise. In addition, increased sickness absence can have a long-term impact on the employment situation, as companies could be more reluctant to hire new employees in order to compensate for possible absences.

Overall, this report shows that the high level of sickness in Germany can have complex effects on the economy and should therefore be carefully analyzed and addressed from both a health policy and economic perspective.