According to a report released by the European Working Conditions Observatory, average rates of absence across Europe are between 3% and 6% of working time and the cost is estimated to be about 2.5% of GDP. This study shows that while some countries are attempting to control costs, others put the emphasis on promoting health and well-being.

The comparative study on Absence from Work was compiled on the basis of individual national reports submitted by the European Working Conditions Observatory (EWCO) correspondents, addressing patterns of absence from the 27 EU Member States and Norway, the costs involved, policies for dealing with absence and general developments in relation to promoting health and well-being. Its purpose is to show the overall extent of absence from work and outline the policies that have been developed in an attempt to deal with this issue, and to put this in the context of wider debates about the quality of work.

The research has uncovered two fundamental points. The first is the limited extent of knowledge about the extent, causes and costs of absence. The second is a shift in policies of management and control.

On the first point, comparative studies note the extent of national variations in levels of absence, and problems with the comparability of available data: data scarcely exist in some countries and are patchy in others. On top of this, the different definitions and methods of measurement make international comparison hazardous. This contrasts with the phenomenon of unemployment, for example, for which statistical agencies have made major efforts to devise common definitions and measures,

According to this study the most common causes of absence are health problems, although broader issues such as monotony and work-related stress are also mentioned in some countries. Musculoskeletal and respiratory problems are commonly among the top two causes, as well as back pain and syndromes such as repetitive strain injury.

However, this study put forward that simply knowing the causes for absence says little about the social context that leads people to see such problems as a sufficient reason to take time off work. An employee’s commitment to the employer, the financial costs of going absent, pressures to attend work, sick pay arrangements and health promotion schemes all influence such decisions.

Besides, presenteeism seems to have emerged as a distinct concept in the last 10 years, i.e., an employee attending work even when they feel too ill to be able to work effectively. Reasons for presenteeism are varied and in some occasions may have greater costs than those of absence.

In terms of the management of attendance, the study shows that two broad trends are evident. The first relates to control. It is reflected in a growing concern with the costs of absence, together with policies of controlling these costs, notably those to health insurance systems. It may also be connected to presenteeism: if managements are too controlling, workers may feel forced to attend work when they are ill. It would, however, be wrong to exaggerate such a tendency. Coercive forms of attendance control seem to be rare. There are pressures towards costs control, but their effects are likely to be mediated by other factors.