Work absences due to mental illness in Switzerland have risen 20% this year compared to 2021, with an average absence of 11 months.
Employee Sick Leave Soars Due to Mental Health IssuesWork absences resulting from mental health issues in Switzerland have reached an all-time high. According to an analysis reported by NZZ am Sonntag, the number of work interruptions caused by mental health concerns has risen by 20% this year compared to 2021.
Andreas Heimer of PK Rück, a pension fund reinsurance firm, suggests that this increase is not just a result of catching up from the COVID-19 pandemic but rather a structural issue. The identified cases are serious, with affected workers typically missing 11 months of work on average.
Employees are reporting new forms of mental illnesses such as post-traumatic stress disorder, adjustment disorder, fatigue syndrome, and post-COVID syndrome. This could also impact the number of people applying for disability insurance. Last year, the number of new disability insurance applicants rose by 16%, with half of these cases being psychological in nature.
Le Matin Dimanche reports that 70% of those affected by the significant rise in sick leave for psychological reasons are employed. The economic losses linked to these illnesses are estimated to be over CHF 20 billion annually, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
Source: SWI, https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/business/spike-in-employee-sick-leave-due-to-mental-illness/48108016
Photo: Photo by Ivan Aleksic on Unsplash
