Getting a grip on the high sickness rate

The fact is: health and sickness rates are top issues for the coming years. Both mentally - for example, due to rapid digitalization and constant change - and physically - for example, due to sitting all the time - we are under increasing strain at work. But increasing stress is not the only factor. A major factor influencing the well-being of team members is the corporate culture, the spirit within the company.

Why a high sickness rate harms companies in the long term
When one employee after another calls in sick, it strikes fear into the hearts of many bosses. And for good reason, because a high sickness rate brings with it repercussions that can shake a company to its core in the long term. The cost of a sick day is high. (Editor's note: According to Health Promotion Switzerland, stress, for example, costs companies five billion francs a year. In Germany, according to the author, a sick day costs an average of 450 euros per employee).

It can be assumed that a high level of sick leave also puts an enormous strain on the rest of the team. Often so much so that even the fittest employees are no longer able to give their best after a certain point. As a consequence, downtime will increase and customers will also quickly suffer from the resulting loss of quality. In addition, fluctuation will increase and the company's reputation as an employer brand will be permanently damaged.

Reducing the high sickness rate with communicative measures
Consistency and open communication with the team are crucial levers when it comes to a high sickness rate. In many companies, there is a need for action here. The following six communication tips convey appreciation to team members, increase motivation and promote a positive corporate culture.

1. managers should explain to employees honestly and with a due measure of appreciation that each individual team member is jointly responsible for the success of the company. This appreciation should also be communicated in everyday work.

2. if an employee is absent due to illness and the team works overtime, both the manager and the employee who is ill should thank the team for overtime worked and make the members feel that their efforts are appreciated.

3 As a manager, you should set an example of what is expected of your employees - even if it may be unpleasant from time to time. A manager who rolls up his sleeves and lends a hand in times of extraordinary stress makes an extremely good impression.

4. managers should seek communication with employees who are frequently ill and consciously try to find out more about the reasons. It is possible that the workload is too high and that ideas can be found in the conversation to improve the situation for both parties.

5. communication at the moment of calling in sick is similarly important. Employees should call in sick in person and let them know in good time when they will be ready to return to work. In this way, the employee concerned gets the opportunity to show the necessary respect to his team. In addition, the manager can prove in a direct conversation that he knows the importance of direct and trusting communication.

If the sickness rate has fallen as a result of changed management behaviour, the work is not yet done. The next step is to work through the situation and ask how a resurgence in sickness absence can be avoided in advance. Managers who want to be successful in the long term stay on the ball and continuously try to improve their corporate culture.

At this point, an important note: Even if managers are not happy about possible sick calls, they should make sure that they keep their feelings in check, because otherwise it can be assumed that the next sick call will not come by phone but by e-mail. And that will set back efforts to establish a transparent and trusting corporate culture.

Pressure makes you sick? Not necessarily!
But what if team members simply feel too much pressure? Sentences like "We have too much pressure. It's obvious that we're going to get sick" are commonplace in most companies. This is especially true when employees feel they have more work than they can handle. In the worst case, this impression can even lead to half the workforce calling in sick, blocking potential investments in the future due to a lack of capacity.

From the employees' point of view, this is understandable at first glance. After all, who likes running a marathon when they have the feeling that they will never cross the finish line? However, leave on sick leave is not a solution either - neither for the company nor for the overburdened employee. Instead, there needs to be a way of dealing sensibly with the pressure that is completely normal in many industries. How do you do that? By helping managers help their team grow not only professionally, but also mentally. Whether it's setting priorities or the ability to keep a clear head in crisis situations - none of this comes naturally, but must first be learned.

As soon as managers start giving their employees stress management methods, at least the psychological pressure will fizzle out. And with that, a lot has already been achieved. So in addition to the communicative measures mentioned above, managers should also offer resources and further training measures with which team members can train their mental fitness.

From analysis to action plan
Managers often do not notice warning signals in time and react too late. Not all cases of illness can be lumped together, and this is precisely why managers should make an effort to look at the sickness statistics with an open mind. If high sickness levels are one of the top challenges in the business, a sound analysis should form the basis of the action plan. And this process should be initiated as early as possible.

At the very beginning, there is the simple analysis of numbers. How high is the sickness rate in the first place? Where does it stand in comparison to the industry? Which employees are particularly frequently ill? The point is to identify patterns. These provide information about the reasons for the high sickness rate. The plan of action is then drawn up and consistently implemented - for example as part of a health campaign, with communicative approaches and the support of health insurance companies.