Absenteeism is increasingly widespread in French companies. In 2008, the absenteeism rate in France reached 5.1%, an increase of 8% compared to 2017, according to the barometer annual report of the consulting group Ayming published on Tuesday 3 September. On average, an employee is absent 18.6 days on average per year, reports the study which covered more than 2.2 million employees employed in the private sector. In 2017, absenteeism was 17.2 days.
If all sectors of activity are affected by absenteeism, the health sector is particularly concerned.
Women show a higher rate of absenteeism than men with 5.73% against 3.83%. Several factors can explain this gap between the sexes, such as more frequent job insecurity among women (part-time), positions that generate greater health problems such as musculoskeletal disorders, and sick leave related to pregnancy. Although mentalities are gradually changing, women continue to wear a heavier mental load than men with the management of professional and domestic constraints.
Another lesson of the study, the long stops (more than three months) jumped 23% among employees aged 40 and under in 2018 compared to 2017. Beyond 41, these long-term absences also increase, but the growth is less spectacular (8% increase).
A problem to be taken into account by companies
These results confirm that absenteeism is a growing phenomenon, according to Hervé Amar, president of Ayming: “We can see that absenteeism is still a problem today, new risk factors have appeared with profound changes in the world of work: increased demands, flexibility, new technologies, which have led to a change in mentalities and new expectations of employees with regard to their working conditions and their personal balance, a phenomenon that is particularly noticeable among those aged 40 and under. This new situation should be better taken into account by companies, he adds. “It is therefore necessary for companies to constantly reinvent their approach to managing absenteeism, focusing more on behavior and not just on working conditions.”
* Quantitative study of absenteeism in France in 2018 carried out in partnership with AG2R LA MONDIALE with 46,615 companies
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