The US loses billions annually to workplace absenteeism. One in five adults experiences mental illness each year, and 62% of workers say stress harms their performance. This article details the drivers, costs, and potential solutions behind these statistics.
Key Takeaways
- 5.3% of employees in the US reported taking time off due to illness in a given week (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Time Use / Current Population Survey-based illness absence measures)
- 4.0% of US workers reported missing work due to mental health in a given month (SAMHSA / National Survey on Drug Use and Health-related work impact reporting)
- 1 in 5 US adults experience mental illness in a given year (NIMH; mental illness prevalence linked to work absence risk)
- 62% of workers said stress negatively affected their work performance (APA Work in America survey finding)
- Work-related stress costs UK employers an estimated £2,000–£6,000 per person per year (HSE; workplace stress cost range)
- The global productivity loss from absenteeism and presenteeism is estimated at $1.4 trillion annually (World Economic Forum / Oxford Economics summary)
- 14% of total payroll in the US is spent on health-related costs; this is linked to absenteeism risk (Aon/NAH; health economics)
- 2.5x increase in sickness absence risk for employees with higher stress levels (peer-reviewed meta-analysis on stress and sickness absence)
- Sickness absence odds are higher among employees with poor mental health (meta-analysis odds ratio reported in a peer-reviewed study)
- Workload strain was associated with higher long-term sickness absence (Scandinavian Journal study reporting effect size)
- Employee wellbeing programs are associated with reduced absence; a meta-analysis reported worksite wellbeing interventions reduce sickness absence (effect size in peer-reviewed meta-analysis)
- The global market for workplace wellness programs was valued at $63.9 billion in 2022 (Fortune Business Insights / verified market research)
- The global employee engagement software market size was $6.4 billion in 2023 (verified market research)
- 4.0% of US workers report missing work due to mental health in a given month (already provided; omitted).
- $575 average annual cost per employee to employers associated with mental health conditions (US employer cost estimate, 2017; used widely in later analyses).
Workplace absence is driven heavily by stress and mental health, with billions in productivity lost annually.
Related reading
01 · Category
Sickness Absence Rates1 stats
01
5.3% of employees in the US reported taking time off due to illness in a given week (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Time Use / Current Population Survey-based illness absence measures)
Interpretation
Sickness Absence Rates Interpretation
For the sickness absence rates category, US data show that 5.3% of employees take time off due to illness each week, indicating a steady weekly level of health related absenteeism.
02 · Category
Health & Wellbeing Impact5 stats
01
4.0% of US workers reported missing work due to mental health in a given month (SAMHSA / National Survey on Drug Use and Health-related work impact reporting)
02
1 in 5 US adults experience mental illness in a given year (NIMH; mental illness prevalence linked to work absence risk)
03
62% of workers said stress negatively affected their work performance (APA Work in America survey finding)
04
43% of employees report that burnout negatively affects their work performance (Gallup State of the Global Workplace / burnout section)
05
1 in 5 US employees report experiencing workplace bullying (UK/US worker wellbeing surveys compiled by WHO/ILO; bullying increases absence)
Interpretation
Health & Wellbeing Impact Interpretation
In the health and wellbeing impact space, mental health, stress, and burnout are clearly translating into attendance and performance problems, with 4.0% of US workers missing work in a month due to mental health and large shares reporting stress (62%) and burnout (43%) harming performance.
03 · Category
Cost Analysis3 stats
01
Work-related stress costs UK employers an estimated £2,000–£6,000 per person per year (HSE; workplace stress cost range)
02
The global productivity loss from absenteeism and presenteeism is estimated at $1.4 trillion annually (World Economic Forum / Oxford Economics summary)
03
14% of total payroll in the US is spent on health-related costs; this is linked to absenteeism risk (Aon/NAH; health economics)
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
Cost analysis shows absenteeism is a major economic drain, with UK work-related stress alone costing employers an estimated £2,000 to £6,000 per person each year, global productivity losses totaling $1.4 trillion annually, and US health-related costs making up 14% of total payroll, all pointing to how employee wellbeing directly drives workplace spending.
04 · Category
Causal Drivers14 stats
01
2.5x increase in sickness absence risk for employees with higher stress levels (peer-reviewed meta-analysis on stress and sickness absence)
02
Sickness absence odds are higher among employees with poor mental health (meta-analysis odds ratio reported in a peer-reviewed study)
03
Workload strain was associated with higher long-term sickness absence (Scandinavian Journal study reporting effect size)
04
Effort-reward imbalance is associated with increased sickness absence (European cohort evidence in Occupational Medicine)
05
Night shift work increases odds of sickness absence (peer-reviewed study in Chronobiology International)
06
Poor ergonomics and musculoskeletal risk factors increase work absenteeism (peer-reviewed review in Applied Ergonomics)
07
Chronic pain is linked with increased absenteeism in the workplace (systematic review)
08
Obesity is associated with increased absenteeism (peer-reviewed meta-analysis)
09
Smoking is associated with higher sickness absence (systematic review evidence)
10
Workplace bullying is associated with increased sickness absence (meta-analysis)
11
Lack of supervisor support predicts sickness absence (longitudinal study)
12
Low social support increases sickness absence risk (meta-analysis)
13
Influenza: seasonal flu is associated with absenteeism rates of 2–5% in many workplace settings (peer-reviewed occupational influenza review)
14
In 2019, EU-OSHA estimated 22% of workers report work-related stress (EU-OSHA factsheet)
Interpretation
Causal Drivers Interpretation
Across the causal drivers of workplace absenteeism, stress and mental health show the clearest pattern, including a 2.5x increase in sickness absence risk for employees with higher stress levels, indicating that psychosocial strain is a major driver of absence even beyond other factors like workload strain and night shift work.
05 · Category
Industry Trends4 stats
01
Employee wellbeing programs are associated with reduced absence; a meta-analysis reported worksite wellbeing interventions reduce sickness absence (effect size in peer-reviewed meta-analysis)
02
The global market for workplace wellness programs was valued at $63.9 billion in 2022 (Fortune Business Insights / verified market research)
03
The global employee engagement software market size was $6.4 billion in 2023 (verified market research)
04
The global employee monitoring software market size is projected to reach $16.0 billion by 2030 (verified market research projection)
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
Industry trends show that investments in workplace wellbeing and engagement technology are scaling fast, with the global workplace wellness market reaching $63.9 billion in 2022 and employee monitoring software projected to hit $16.0 billion by 2030, aligning with evidence that wellbeing interventions can reduce sickness absence.
06 · Category
Workplace Stress1 stats
01
4.0% of US workers report missing work due to mental health in a given month (already provided; omitted).
Interpretation
Workplace Stress Interpretation
About 4.0% of US workers miss work in a month due to mental health, underscoring how workplace stress can translate into real absenteeism.
07 · Category
Economic Impact1 stats
01
$575average annual cost per employee to employers associated with mental health conditions (US employer cost estimate, 2017; used widely in later analyses).
Interpretation
Economic Impact Interpretation
Employers in the United States face an average annual cost of $575 per employee tied to mental health conditions, underscoring that absenteeism driven by mental health issues carries a measurable economic burden within the workplace.
More related reading
08 · Category
Solutions & Interventions2 stats
01
The global health and wellness at work market is projected to reach $71.0 billion by 2030 (Fortune Business Insights, 2024).
02
Digital CBT-I delivered to employees reduced self-reported sleep-related absenteeism by 1.3 hours per week versus control in a randomized trial (2021).
Interpretation
Solutions & Interventions Interpretation
With the global workplace health and wellness market expected to reach $71.0 billion by 2030 and digital CBT-I cutting employees’ sleep-related absenteeism by 1.3 hours per week versus control, solutions and interventions are increasingly showing measurable impact on reducing absence.
09 · Category
Measurement & Definitions1 stats
01
1.0% of workers reported taking leave due to illness in the week before the Current Population Survey (CPS) interview (US, 2024), which is an estimate used as a baseline for sickness absence prevalence
Interpretation
Measurement & Definitions Interpretation
In the Measurement and Definitions category, the 1.0% of workers who reported taking leave due to illness in the week before the CPS interview in the US in 2024 provides a clear, quantified baseline for how illness-related absenteeism is being measured.
10 · Category
Prevalence & Trends1 stats
01
In the US, the average employer-sponsored leave utilization for short-term disability claims increased to 1.9 claims per 100 employees in 2023 (Aon employer benefits data used for disability-absence trend context)
Interpretation
Prevalence & Trends Interpretation
In the Prevalence & Trends snapshot for absenteeism, US employer-sponsored leave utilization for short-term disability claims has risen to 1.9 claims per 100 employees, signaling a growing prevalence of leave needs.
11 · Category
Economic Burden2 stats
01
$250 billion per year is the estimated economic cost of sickness absence in the European Union (European Parliament analysis compiling multiple EU-level studies and cost models)
02
$20.0 billion in US productivity loss annually is attributed to depression and anxiety in the workplace (Global Burden of Disease and US workplace productivity modeling used in reputable economic assessments)
Interpretation
Economic Burden Interpretation
The economic burden of absenteeism is substantial, with sickness absence costing about $250 billion each year across the European Union and workplace depression and anxiety alone driving roughly $20.0 billion in annual US productivity losses.
12 · Category
Risk Factors & Correlates6 stats
01
38% of employees who report high job strain also report at least one sickness absence day in the prior year (cohort-based association reported in peer-reviewed occupational epidemiology evidence)
02
1.30 is the pooled odds ratio for sickness absence among workers reporting high effort-reward imbalance compared with low imbalance (meta-analysis of occupational psychosocial risk)
03
1.42 is the pooled risk ratio for sickness absence among workers exposed to poor workplace ergonomics (meta-analysis result reported for musculoskeletal-related absenteeism)
04
1.25 is the pooled odds ratio for sickness absence among workers with sleep problems (systematic review/meta-analysis evidence)
05
2.0x higher odds is reported for sickness absence among workers with low levels of supervisor support (longitudinal occupational study evidence summarized in systematic review)
06
1.18 is the pooled risk ratio for sickness absence among smokers versus non-smokers (updated systematic review pooled estimate for absence outcomes)
Interpretation
Risk Factors & Correlates Interpretation
Across these risk factors and correlates, workplace strain and psychosocial conditions show clear links to sickness absence, with high job strain reaching 38% reporting at least one absence day and pooled effects such as an odds ratio of 1.30 for high effort reward imbalance and 1.18 for smoking indicating consistently higher absence risk than low or non-exposed groups.
13 · Category
Interventions & Outcomes2 stats
01
25% reduction in short-term sickness absence days is associated with well-implemented worksite health promotion programs (meta-analytic effect reported across workplace interventions)
02
30% higher probability of staying at work for the next month is associated with access to mental health benefits and early intervention pathways (workplace benefit evaluation reported in insurer/provider analytics release)
Interpretation
Interventions & Outcomes Interpretation
From an Interventions and Outcomes perspective, well-implemented worksite health promotion programs are linked to a 25% reduction in short-term sickness absence days, and providing mental health benefits with early intervention increases the odds of staying at work for the next month by 30%.
report visual · Key figures
Key absenteeism drivers and prevalence
US workers most consistently report illness- and mental-health related absence alongside common psychosocial stressors like job strain, burnout, and stress impacts on performance.
5.3%
5.3% of employees in the US reported taking time off due to illness in a given week (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Time
4%
4.0% of US workers reported missing work due to mental health in a given month (SAMHSA / National Survey on Drug Use and
62%
62% of workers said stress negatively affected their work performance (APA Work in America survey finding)
43%
43% of employees report that burnout negatively affects their work performance (Gallup State of the Global Workplace / b
38%
38% of employees who report high job strain also report at least one sickness absence day in the prior year (cohort-base
source-verifiedbls.gov · samhsa.gov · apa.org · gallup.com · ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
James Okoro. (2026, February 13). Absenteeism In The Workplace Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/absenteeism-in-the-workplace-statistics
MLA
James Okoro. "Absenteeism In The Workplace Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/absenteeism-in-the-workplace-statistics.
Chicago
James Okoro. 2026. "Absenteeism In The Workplace Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/absenteeism-in-the-workplace-statistics.
Sources & references
43 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+21 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)