In the first quarter of 2022, 1,428,904 people missed their jobs every day, of which a total of 1,135,385 did so due to medical reasons, according to the latest report on work absenteeism prepared by Randstad Research. The figures reveal a growth compared to the previous quarter of 20% and 27% respectively.
Two sectors concentrate the majority of the branches of activity with the lowest level of absenteeism: information and scientific and technical activities. The other side of the coin is presented by health workers, who are more exposed to the consequences of the omicron variant of the coronavirus and, therefore, with levels of absenteeism well above the national average.
“Wide absenteeism”, that is, that which includes both unjustified absences and sick leave due to temporary incapacity or a medical reason, has caused 7.1% of the hours agreed with the company to be lost, a 1.4% unjustifiably.
In absolute terms, only 293,519 workers missed their job during the first quarter of this year, so that, if there are currently about 20 million workers according to INE data, only 1.4% of them missed their job for unjustified reasons. The rest was due to sick leave, maternity, paternity or nursing leave and temporary disability.
Health professionals
The sectoral analysis shows that there is a great dispersion in terms of absenteeism. Among the ten with the highest percentages are health activities (11.4%) and assistance in residential establishments (11.3%)
In both sectors, they point out from the center for studies on the labor market, the absences are due to a clear reason: the sixth wave of the coronavirus. At the beginning of 2022, infections multiplied and health workers were once again the most exposed professionals.
Computer-related activities
Within the ‘top 14’ of the sectors with the lowest level of absenteeism (that is, it does not exceed 4.9%) in the first quarter of 2022 we find the sectors related to employment and programming, consulting and other activities related to computing, whose Professionals have been absent for only 3.6% of the agreed hours. The table is completed by the business consulting sector (4%) and architecture and engineering (4%). Total, fourteen sectors have an absenteeism level below 4.9%.
At the opposite pole, among those who are most absent are workers in the gambling and betting sector, with 10.7%. With a percentage of 10.6%, there are social services without accommodation, which are in charge of both personal and family advice. The Public Administration, Defense and Compulsory Social Security had an absenteeism level of 9.6%.
presenteeism”
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For this reason, many experts are already opting for a new model: the liquid office. A combination of teleworking and face-to-face in which the employee can decide where to do their work and that not only increases productivity but also improves work-life balance.