Status: 10/11/2022 5:48 p.m
Employees in socially and fairly managed companies are happier and sick less often – this is suggested by a survey among members of the AOK. The study also shows that the number of sick days rose again in 2022.
Employers can reduce sick leave through social management. This emerges from the annual absenteeism report from the health insurance company AOK, which was presented in Berlin. Overall, sick leave in the third year of the corona pandemic continued to rise compared to previous years.
Significant differences in sick leave
One focus of this year’s absenteeism report is the connection between company management, sick leave and the state of health of the workforce. Workers who rate their corporate governance as responsible were then absent 9.7 days over the past 12 months, while workers who rate their corporate governance as poor had 14.2 days to stay home because of illness.
Job satisfaction significantly higher
The Scientific Institute of the AOK (WIdO) also found clear differences in the state of health of the workforce. For psychosomatic complaints such as exhaustion and sleep disorders, the values for dissatisfied employees were around 30 percentage points higher than for those who rate their company management positively. For physical ailments such as back or joint problems and headaches, the difference was around 20 percentage points.
According to their statements, anger and annoyance are very rare in 86 percent of the satisfied employees. Only 45 percent of the dissatisfied can say that. Accordingly, willingness to perform and job satisfaction were significantly higher in well-managed companies and the bond to one’s own company closer than in companies whose employees are dissatisfied with the management style – an important factor in times of a shortage of skilled workers.
Companies should take responsibility
The results are based on a representative survey of 2,500 employees in February and March of this year. They were asked to what extent they perceive their companies to be fair, socially responsible, public welfare-oriented and ecologically sustainable employers.
The chairwoman of the board of directors of the AOK federal association, Carola Reimann, said that in times of crisis not only the state institutions have to prove themselves. Private and public companies are also called upon to assume responsibility beyond their core business and to contribute to the stabilization of society.
Sick leave increased in the first half of 2022
Overall, sick leave – the average number of days absent on all days of the year – has continued to rise during the corona pandemic. According to the report, sick leave was 6.6 percent between January and June 2022, compared to 5.1 percent in 2021 over the same period. The peak in sick leave was found in March of this year at 7.8 percent.
The information is based on the evaluation of the certificates of incapacity for work from around 15.6 million AOK insured persons. Women were most affected by corona infections, especially employees in childcare and education as well as medical specialists, occupational and physical therapists and nursing staff.