In 2023, employees in Belgium were absent less often compared to previous years, according to a recent study by HR services company Acerta. The study found that employees worked an average of 83.3 percent of the time, equivalent to 208 days per year for a full-time employee. This attendance rate represents an increase of 0.8 percentage points from 2022 and is the highest recorded figure in the past five years.
The data used for this conclusion came from approximately 390,000 employees at 30,000 private sector companies. Sickness absence remained the primary reason for employees being absent from work, with an average of 7.9 percent of working hours (equivalent to around 20 days in a working year) lost due to illness in 2023. Interestingly, absenteeism due to illness was found to be higher in larger companies compared to smaller ones, with companies over 500 employees reporting an absence rate of 9.9 percent and smallest employers at only 5 percent.
Dirk Vanderhoydonck from Acerta Consult emphasized the importance of reducing absenteeism due to illness as it significantly impacts productivity. He highlighted the need for companies to address this issue, especially in the current labor shortage scenario where workforce availability and efficiency are crucial factors for organizational success.
Overall, the study suggests a positive trend in employee attendance in Belgium in 2023, but concerns remain about the significant number of lost working days due to illness among organizations aiming to enhance their productivity levels.