Age a growing factor in workplace absenteeism: report
According to the most recent numbers, absenteeism rates in Canada have been rising over the past 10 years, jumping from roughly seven days lost per worker annually to more than 10 currently.
And much of this has to do with demographics, according to a recent study from the C.D. Howe Institute.
As the demographic weight of the population shifts from younger to older categories, reported sick days rise significantly, the report claims. For example, men ages 45 to 54 report an average of 1.3 more days lost due to illness than do males 35 to 44.
Age is not the only factor keeping people off the job, of course.
Over the past 25 years, the average number of days lost per year due to illness has remained largely unchanged among men but increased sharply among women.
That's not that surprising when you consider that women are usually the principal caregiver for children and may take time off “sick” to look after them. As well, a higher proportion of women than men work part-time, skewing the numbers accordingly.
When workplace policy allows generous sick-leave provisions, employees will be likely to use them, and apparently to a greater degree in unionized settings, the report suggests.
Public-sector workers report more workplace absences than do private-sector employees. Workers in unionized settings, in which female participation has grown tremendously, take more sick leave days than those in non-union settings.
This is a disturbing trend since studies show that such workplace absenteeism can be contagious.
"There is some tendency to treat absence as a personal, individual performance issue and ignore the fact that it is under considerable social control. People imitate the attendance behaviour of their peers," says Concordia University professor Gary Johns.
What's the situation where you work? Are you seeing more people booking off sick? Does age seem to be a factor?
By Gordon Powers, MSN Money
Posted by: SP | Oct 26, 2021 6:01:46 AM
Clearly the 'solution' then is to force all children into the workforce like we have done with women.
Just got to find a catchy 'empowering' term.
Childrens 'Liberation'? no.... Kids 'freedom'? No..... Childrens advanced maturation !
That's it.
That way we can force our children into the workforce just like the Indians and Chinese do and the Race to the bottom will be well and truly on !
Just think of the 'extra' free time and great changes that happened when women were sent out to work too !
House prices doubled, University enrolment doubled, Coffee shops, fast food joints, obesity and diabetes exploded and divorce rates and suicides increasing nicely.
Introduce more young women into the office setting and perhaps the older women will kill themselves off before they start to take too many sick days !
Yippee Progress !
BTW... What is the point of all the extra work and 'progress' again? (because unless you're one of the 0.01% you sure as heck aren't seeing it).
Posted by: Natalie | Oct 27, 2021 11:57:30 AM
I think that if all the businesses closed on Sundays again perhaps they would experience less sick days called in. Part of the problem now a days is its all go go go. We all have different days off. It clearly doesn't work. Lets take just one day a week to decompress and "lay like broccoli" all at the same time.
Posted by: k7k6c7 | Oct 27, 2021 12:30:00 PM
Do you think stress might be a factor in some of these "sick" days? More and more people in some jobs are required to do the work of two or three that a few years ago they would have only had their one job to do. As for the women taking sick days-more and more women (many single parents) have had to enter the work force in the last 25 years. So when junior is sick who stays home with him? BTW-there are many single parent fathers out there in the same dilema.
I know there are many who don't have paid sick days because they are part-time and can't afford to take the time off. So it's a vicious circle. You get sick and can't afford to take the time off with no pay. So you come to work and either get sicker (which means lack of productivity for the company and longer time off when you do have to take it off) or pass it on to the co-workers.
As for unionized workers taking advantage of paid sick days-not all do. More and more unionized workers are part-time (especially in the health care sector). Sure they get paid in lieu of benefits (the sick day entitlement) but because they are part-time they still can't afford to put the extra money (extra as above their base wages) away for when they are legitimately sick.
You have to love the companies that insist on a doctor's note before you can come back to work if you take one day off because of a miagrane or a tooth ache. Not only do you lose the days pay but it usually take days to get into see the doctor and then to add insult to injury you have to pay for the note (even though the doctor is getting paid by OHIP for the office visit).
Bottom line as usual it's those that take advantage of paid sick days that ruin it for the ones that really need it.
Posted by: PD | Oct 27, 2021 12:49:20 PM
In my teaching profession where they have taken away the banked sick days (gratuity), where most people took 5-6 of 20 sick days a year because there was an incentive to bank them. Now with only 11 days a year, absenteeism is on the rise, as people will use them all up because they will lose them otherwise. Interesting how this will cost the government more in the end, and now the school boards realize this and are telling the governments that they should be the ones paying for the change. With the increase in workload in many professions there are way more "mental health" days being taken out there as well. When you are about to crack, it's best just to take a day to regroup. It will cost your employer less than paying for a long-term leave of absence.
Posted by: J.Downs | Oct 27, 2021 2:20:49 PM
Interesting comments....lets see Canada along with the USA...are at the bottom of the pile in vacation time ....in the old days you stayed with your employer for a career and had 3-4-5...weeks vacation as you got older....as per the other comments...you are right ...everything is open all the time ....forcing people to work days...nights..weekends...holidays.....many times with a minimum of time off in between.....and for what ???...if the last 5/6 years have not opened our eyes what will>????...record profits.....so-so hiring......meaning starting pay and increases are minimal....changing to lousy types of pension plans....think Defined Contribution......and look at the banks profits for example....this type of pension is a pension plan in name only.......and we wonder why people take time off???...lets add in students with crazy large loans and no positions....my guy at Starbucks has an MBA ......longer waits for your pension....I have always been able to fend for myself but not everyone can.....a measure of a fair society is that everyone gets a fair chance and shake....but I may be getting old but it seems we are headed for a very big wakeup call if we don't change things!!!
Posted by: David | Oct 27, 2021 7:27:07 PM
Absenteeism? Maybe people are realizing that life is too short and being stuck at work is just plain stupid and a waste of a life.
A job is just a job. Its not important.
Many people miss out in life because they are stuck in a B.S. job that doesnt really matter in the grand scheme of things.
Posted by: Derek Wrigley | Oct 27, 2021 8:26:57 PM
I may have lost count but I believe I have had 4 sick days the last 35 years. Don't get me wrong, I become ill as much as the average guy. I did get ill once on New Years day, once on Easter Sunday and another time on Xmas day/Boxing day. Oh yes, I do remember woofing my chunks once near the end of a work day and decided to go home. The two customers I was unable to visit on that day forgave me as I applied that extra effort for them the following day.
Posted by: Ynot | Oct 28, 2021 12:09:36 AM
Derick Wrigley has me beat. In 31 years I booked off 4 times. Twice for abscessed teeth, once for an earache and once for a cold.