Friday, 10th October 2025

Sick Leave Costs Europe Billions Annually

Sick leave is becoming a growing financial burden across Europe, costing billions annually due to longer absences and rising health challenges

Absenteeism due to sick leave costs Europe billions of euros each year, according to an analysis published by Bloomberg.

The increase in the frequency and duration of sick leave across Europe is attributed to the impact of COVID-19, an aging workforce, growing awareness of stress’s effects on mental health, and flexible social and healthcare systems accommodating sick leave.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reports that Norwegians took the most sick leave in 2022, averaging 27.5 days annually, the highest level in 15 years.

In the UK, the number of economically inactive working-age people has risen by nearly 800,000 since 2020. Long-term absences due to illness now cost the British economy nearly £33 billion (€40 billion) annually. Swiss insurance company Zurich warns that these costs could double by the end of the decade.

German employers spent a record €77 billion on employee sick leave last year, more than double the amount in 2010, according to the Institute for Economic Research. Government estimates indicate that sick leave costs Germany around €200 billion annually.

Have a news tip or story to share? Email us at info@connectingregion.com

Zuckerberg Predicts Mobile Phones Will Disappear by 2030

TThis is inevitable as new technologies like augmented reality (AR) glasses and virtual reality (VR) devices reshape how people...

ProCredit Launches ProConnect Platform

The platform is the first of its kind in the region, offering firms the ability to present their products...

Switzerland Tops Global Innovation Ranking, China Enters Top 10

China has entered the top 10 for the first time, taking the 10th spot and replacing Germany, which fell...

Meta, Google, Microsoft Pay Top AI Experts Up to $300K

Meta, Google, and Microsoft offer top researchers up to $300,000 annually—and up to $1.5M over four years. Meta recently...

World First: Albania Elevates AI to Ministerial Rank

In a world first, Albania has appointed an artificial intelligence system to ministerial rank. Prime Minister Edi Rama announced...
spot_img

Connecting the Adria Region Decision Makers

The Region is more than a publication - it's where the region's elite converge for insights and opportunities