How to calculate absenteeism

Here is the IFOP method from the Absenteeism Observatory.

Include the following reasons: illness, occupational illness, workplace accident, commuting accident.

How do you compare to your industry?

Below are average absenteeism rates by sector.

Retail and healthcare are notably impacted by this issue.

This is partly explained by frontline roles during the COVID years—teams are exhausted and the working conditions are demanding to begin with.

Focus: back pain and commute time

20% of workplace accidents are linked to lower back pain. The average duration is two months. So, a good chair is a real prevention tool. (source: Travail et lombalgies : N’attendez pas d’en avoir plein le dos !)

Another striking finding: the correlation between average absence duration and commute time. In the Fondation Jean Jaurès article, daily commutes are a source of fatigue and stress with a direct impact on absenteeism.

Example: someone who takes less than 15 minutes to get to work has, on average, 2.5 fewer days of absence than someone whose commute exceeds one hour.

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Why absenteeism matters in 2023?

As reported by Les Echos and the Fondation Jean Jaurès, psychosocial risk signals persist:

“Nearly three‑quarters of employees say they have felt like they couldn’t cope (74%), had trouble sleeping due to work concerns (73%), struggled to balance personal and professional life (72%), or had insufficient availability for family and loved ones (72%), even as the desire for work‑life balance is now a priority.”

In this context, your managers are on the front line to prevent absenteeism. They need support and training to succeed in this mission.