Poles on sick leave: can workplace prevention change the statistics?
The latest data from the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) show the scale of sickness absenteeism in Poland. Last year, employees spent a total of 290.5 million days on sick leave. The costs of these absences for the state budget and employers amounted to nearly 35 billion zlotys.
Experts point out that even a small improvement in this area could bring measurable benefits to the economy. It is estimated that a decrease in the number of days on sick leave by just 4 percent would mean recovering over 11.5 million working days. Such a change would positively impact not only the financial results of companies but also the growth of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The key to improving the situation is expected to be more effective prevention in the workplace. Specialists suggest that investments in employee health, such as better workstation ergonomics, psychological support, or preventive programs, can realistically reduce the number of illnesses. As a result, employees would less frequently rely on long-term sick leave.
The debate on this topic also concerns the reform of the sickness insurance system in Poland. Introducing preventive measures could help stabilize the Social Insurance Fund (FUS). Discussions are currently underway on how to encourage companies to become more involved in the health prevention of their teams.
In summary, high sickness absenteeism remains a major challenge for the Polish economy. If effective health programs can be implemented, both employers and employees themselves will benefit, which could contribute to the better functioning of the entire social security system.