Insights · Workplace wellbeing
Sickness absence at work: understand causes and plan actions
Review absence trends alongside working conditions, accessible prevention activities and return-to-work support. Use comparable periods and protect personal data.
Quick answer
How should an employer approach sickness absence?
Start with aggregated trends and employee feedback about working conditions. Combine appropriate organizational changes, accessible voluntary activities and return-to-work support. Evaluate each area with clear definitions and comparable periods; no single activity guarantees reduced absence.
Understand influences on absence
Absence has many causes, not all within an employer’s control. Austria’s WIFO and Germany’s WIdO absence reports discuss diagnosis groups and changing patterns. Seasonal infections and workforce changes can affect a trend.
Companies can review working conditions, leadership, organization and access to prevention. Choose actions around the specific workplace rather than assuming that one activity reduces absence.
Connect three areas of action
Improve conditions
Review ergonomic demands, workloads, shift planning and psychosocial risks.
Support participation
Offer accessible movement, back health, stress, sleep and nutrition activities.
Support return to work
Assess relevant return-to-work processes. Germany’s §167 SGB IX and Austria’s fit2work have different roles.
Measure trends responsibly
Compare equivalent periods and definitions over time. Account for infection patterns, workforce structure and changes in working arrangements. A wellbeing launch followed by lower absence does not prove causality.
- Record the period, counting unit and source for each metric.
- Review participation and process feedback separately from absence.
- Use suitable company or large-group reporting with privacy safeguards.
- Do not combine individual app activity with personal absence records.
Scope and limitations
- Use these editorial planning resources alongside employee involvement and the appropriate professional assessment.
- Organizational reporting should use suitable aggregated data. Personal health measurements remain private.
Frequently asked questions
Which action reduces absence the most?
No universal action or reduction can be promised. Review working conditions, leadership, access and the needs of the workforce, then evaluate the specific approach.
How soon should we review results?
Agree suitable comparison periods for your data and goals. Early reviews can examine delivery, access and feedback; absence trends require separate interpretation.
Can we combine app use with absence data?
Do not use individual app and health data to monitor employees. Any organizational reporting needs an appropriate purpose, privacy safeguards and professional review.
Explore related insights
Sources
- WIFO: Austrian absence reports
- WIdO: German absence reports
- §167 SGB IX: German return-to-work provisions
- fit2work: Austria
Published by FIT-UP GmbH, Linz, Austria — a Corporate Health platform provider for organizations in Austria and Germany. Last updated: 2026-10-04.
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