Rising absenteeism in SMEs a point of attention for ArboNed and MKB-Nederland

The average absenteeism in the Netherlands of employees working in SMEs rose to 3.5% in 2017, compared to 3.4% in 2016. This increase continued in the first five months of 2018 to 3.8%. To combat the increasing absenteeism in SMEs, ArboNed and MKB-Nederland are joining forces.

Of the long-term absences in 2017 (more than six weeks), 33% are absent due to psychological complaints. This is a slight increase compared to 2016 (32%). ArboNed bases this on an analysis of its data.

Zooming in on long-term absenteeism, ArboNed sees a slight increase in psychological absenteeism (including stress-related complaints). Dr. Truus van Amerongen, director of medical affairs at ArboNed: “Where an employee lost an average of 202 days due to psychological absenteeism in 2016, this increased to an average of 205 days in 2017. We see, just like last year, that part-time working women have the largest share in this: 44%. Within this group, the share of stress-related absenteeism continues to rise. If we look at working men (full-time and part-time), complaints of the 'musculoskeletal system' are the largest cause of long-term absenteeism.”

Sick for a longer period

Van Amerongen also says about the increasing absenteeism: “It is worrying that the increasing trend of absenteeism within SMEs is continuing this year. One of the explanations for this is the flu epidemic at the end of 2017/beginning of 2018, which lasted six weeks longer than in 2017. Another explanation is the increasing duration of absenteeism. Employees in SMEs report sick less often, but the illness is lasting longer and longer. If you then consider that one day of absenteeism costs an average of 250 euros, this increase quickly has an enormous impact for an SME entrepreneur.”

Director Leendert-Jan Visser of MKB-Nederland is not reassured by these developments. “It is one of the reasons why MKB-Nederland will be working with ArboNed on this subject from 1 July 2018. The smaller SME companies in particular, with up to 25 employees, are strong in their own disciplines and are extremely busy with their daily activities. Matters such as occupational health and safety policy, healthy living and attention to preventing and reducing absenteeism sometimes end up lower on the priority list, while everyone benefits from them. Addressing the responsibilities of employees themselves is also sometimes neglected. So there is a clear task there. That is why we are going to support SME entrepreneurs together with their occupational health and safety matters to ensure that we reverse this upward trend.”

Practical tools

Henk Hummel, General Manager ArboNed: “By helping SME entrepreneurs with all occupational health and safety issues that may escape their attention, we want to make it easier for them and structurally contribute to preventing and reducing absenteeism. In doing so, we mainly opt for a practical approach that is of direct use to SMEs. For example, by providing them with targeted information and practical tools. But also by making an (online) preventive medical examination easily available. This can provide insight into and address the risks in the physical and mental health of employees, in order to prevent absenteeism.”

The government is also pushing for more attention to prevention with the amended Working Conditions Act (Arbowet) from 1 July 2017. For example, the new Arbowet makes an agreement between employer and occupational health and safety service provider (the 'basic contract') mandatory. Hummel: “This does not only apply to large companies. SMEs must also comply with all obligations under the Arbowet and pay more attention to prevention. Now that the one-year transitional arrangement ends on 1 July, the chance of fines from the Social Affairs and Employment Inspectorate increases. And these can often be quite severe for an SME entrepreneur.”

FHI members are entitled to a four percent discount on all services provided by ArboNed. ArboNed has been active in the technology industry for many years: more than 330 FHI members with approximately 5,800 employees are now ArboNed customers. With the industry knowledge they have acquired, they know what can happen on your work floor.

click on this link to see what the collaboration between FHI and ArboNed can offer your company.