Various elements contribute to the prevalence of illness in Germany.
There's been a surge in reported absences due to sick leave in cash registers for quite some time now. But is this a sign of more people falling ill, or just better record-keeping? Several factors could be contributing to this trend.
A recent study suggests that improved statistical recording of sick days is primarily responsible for the high sick leave numbers in Germany since 2022. The introduction of electronic sick leave certificates is said to be "crucial" for this increase, as reported by "World on Sunday", citing a study from the Center for European Economic Research (ZEW). Severe cold waves also contribute to this trend.
Furthermore, there's been a more mindful approach towards respiratory illnesses since the COVID-19 pandemic. As ZEW researcher Nicolas Ziebarth told the newspaper, "Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, employees are less likely to come to work with colds." He suggested implementing "targeted preventive measures" to lower sick leave rates. Half-day sick leave and reducing wages during sick leave could also help in reducing sick leave, Ziebarth added.
As per the "World on Sunday", the Techniker Krankenkasse, an insurance for 5.7 million individuals, reported a new high in sick leave cases for the first nine months of this year. On average, each employee took 14.13 sick days during this period. In comparison, the same period last year saw an average of 13.82 sick days. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, sick leave was significantly lower, with an average of 11.40 days in 2019.
The primary reasons for these absences include cold-related diagnoses. Mental health issues and musculoskeletal system disorders such as back pain are the second and third most common reasons for absenteeism, respectively.
Recently, the third-largest German health insurance company, DAK, reported record-high sick leave rates during the summer. The main reasons for sick leave at DAK during the quarter from July to September were musculoskeletal system disorders, mental health diagnoses, and respiratory diseases.
The rise in reported sick leave could be due to improved recording, as suggested by the ZEW study, or it might be a sign of more people falling ill. However, since the COVID-19 pandemic, employees have become more cautious about coming to work with common illnesses like colds.
Despite the surge in reported sick leave, some believe that the disease itself is not necessarily more prevalent, but rather, there's a more mindful approach towards taking time off for illness.
