Psychological absenteeism

Psychological absenteeism? Here’s how to detect it early 

The numbers don’t lie: in 2023, absenteeism due to psychological complaints reached an all-time high. A quarter of all absentee days (26%) in the first quarter of 2023 were categorized as psychological absenteeism. This means that more and more employees in the Netherlands are struggling with stress and burnout issues. Moreover, psychological absenteeism often lasts longer, meaning organizations have to cope with absent employees for an extended period. 

These alarming signs, according to Anja van Dalen (Business Unit Manager SMB) and Maurice Huiskamp (Absence Manager) of Capability, cannot be ignored. Often, there are warning signs before actual absenteeism occurs that employees with psychological complaints show. By acting on these signals early, managers can address them in time and possibly influence the outcome. Read on to discover how this works. 

Stressful tension

Problems are piling up. Many sectors are facing a serious shortage of staff, which is putting enormous pressure on employees. Anja: “More and more is being asked of people. Tasks are becoming more automated, which in the past provided a moment of rest. Moreover, in many sectors, it has become normal to cover absenteeism internally. Take, for example, cash transport, where it’s difficult to find qualified people. Add the social pressure to that, along with the imbalance between work and private life. The full calendar, family life, smartphones, and, for instance, caregiving responsibilities. It asks a lot from employees.” 

The overflow of pressure on employees is not always due to external factors. Maurice: “You see that the mentality and work ethic have changed. Sometimes, there are 4 or 5 generations in the workplace, each with their own mindset. This can lead to friction and tension. One trend we observe is that younger employees are less able to take charge themselves. They often slip into the victim role when something happens at work or in their personal life. The natural reaction is to give up because they don’t see a solution immediately. Work is often one of the first things to be dropped, since people still get paid.” 

Anja adds: “In practice, we often encounter overload as a reason for absenteeism. This has to do with coping, how do you deal with setbacks? You often see employees who have taken sick leave blame someone else, like their employer. While that could be part of the problem, much of it has to do with how you personally handle things.” 

Prevention is better than cure 

Many organizations struggle to handle this situation effectively. Maurice: “The busyness of the day often takes the lead. Attention for the person behind the employee quickly disappears first. The focus is on the tasks at hand. Managers often rely on their past experiences and act based on assumptions. The ‘old mentality’ no longer works: ‘Come on, you just have to adjust and keep going.’ This approach quickly backfires with employees. The idea that nothing needs to be done as long as someone hasn’t collapsed is outdated.” 

Anja: “If someone drops out, you can take corrective action, but this always leads to higher costs afterward. A sick employee costs between €300 and €450 per day on average. It’s much smarter to invest beforehand, out of a duty of care for your employees, rather than focusing only on performance. The key is showing understanding, having a conversation. Without judging, but building a relationship based on genuine interest. This way, it’s easier to pick up early signals of psychological complaints.” 

Maurice adds: “You can quickly tell how someone is doing. Are they cheerful or downcast? Has their behavior changed? Are they coming in late more often, causing trouble over time off, wanting to work more hours, or taking a lot of extra leave? These are all signs that something is going on in their life. Are there serious problems, or is someone absent? In such cases, it’s crucial to look for a fitting solution. This can range from coaching sessions to workplace assessments. Employees often don’t see a solution themselves. By talking about it and offering targeted advice, you can often see quick progress.” 

Work to be done 

Another important aspect is company culture. Do employees feel free to express themselves? Anja: “Fifteen years ago, it was normal to have respect for the boss, but that’s changed now. Whether consciously or unconsciously, a culture of fear can develop within a company. People find it difficult to open up. They feel uncomfortable sharing concerns or complaints with colleagues or managers. The employer is then quickly excluded. And remember: changing a culture is not easy.” 

Maurice: “At Capability, we advise organizations on how to address this. It may be that managers lack the right skills to perform their role well. For example, if there have been 6 employees absent from one team for a long time, it could be that the manager is not functioning well. By analyzing absenteeism rates, we can initiate a conversation. One solution could be to train the manager so they can interact better with employees.” 

A people-centered organization 

Employees are the most essential part of an organization, so it’s crucial to pay attention to them. That’s the message Anja and Maurice convey. Anja: “Studies have shown that employees perform significantly better when organizations focus on people rather than production. Fortunately, we are starting to see a shift. More and more companies are moving away from the term HR, because people are not resources. You want to avoid making employees feel like numbers. We also see that companies are increasingly reaching out to us to develop preventive, constructive solutions for employees with complaints.” 

Maurice: “Where many companies still have room for improvement is in clearly communicating all procedures regarding complaints and absenteeism. Where can employees report their complaints? Who is the (external) trusted person? How powerful is it when your organization makes this clear? You de-escalate situations, prevent problems, and gain trust. This is a simple step forward for any company.” 

Our key tips: 

• Have an honest conversation with employees; know what’s going on. 
• Watch for unusual behavior in employees and address it. 
• Avoid assumptions and judgment; try to understand others. 
• Ensure that all procedures are known to employees, so they can report issues. 
• Critically assess yourself: do you have the right skills to coach your team? 
• Lastly, are budgets an issue for preventive interventions, since they are mostly already set? In some cases, health insurance may cover part of this. Or when interventions contribute to employee development, both employer and employee can share responsibility for the costs. 

More tips on preventing absenteeism? 

Capability helps organizations detect absenteeism early and ensures prompt and sustainable reintegration of absent employees. Contact us for more information.