Workers going absent on track to surpass pandemic levels amid health struggles

Australian workers skipping work has rapidly increased and there are fears the numbers will surpass levels recorded during the pandemic. See why.

Worker wellbeing is continuing to deteriorate, sparking fears that staff absenteeism could soon surpass levels recorded during the pandemic.

Nearly one in seven Aussie workers are now reporting a decline in their physical health, while more than one in 10 are facing significant mental health challenges, according to global healthcare leader Telus Health.

As the holiday season approaches and cost-of-living pressures continue, there is particular concern for the emotional wellbeing of retail workers, who often bear the brunt of shoppers’ stress and emotions.

Telus Health clinical services director Rose Zaffino says worker anxiety is already high among most sectors and warns that, without intervention, more staff will call in sick to work.

“If there are no strategies in the workplace to address the mental and physical health of employees … then potentially, yes, we will see more absenteeism than during the pandemic,” she says.

Lingering effects of Covid

Australia’s absenteeism rate returned to pre-pandemic levels of 3.3 per cent per month earlier this year, after spiking at 5.5 per cent during winter 2022, when Covid restrictions were removed, the AI Group reported.

But new claims data from Allianz Australia, released last month, reveals a 39 per cent increase in the average number of days taken off work due to mental health in the last four years.

The decline in worker wellbeing is not unexpected, Zaffino says, noting the rise in physical health ailments follows limited access to preventive healthcare measures during Covid-19.

The cost-of-living crisis, as well as other world events, have also taken a toll on mental wellbeing, with worker anxiety increasing significantly this year, after three consecutive periods of improvement in 2022.

One in 10 Australian workers are facing significant mental health challenges.

“People are already very elevated in terms of their stress. We still have a layer of the effects of the pandemic that people have not recovered from,” Zaffino says.

“The cost-of-living pressures have created financial pressure to the point (where) some people are delaying buying medications because of the financial issues.

“Often, you don’t know how (co-workers) are going until they’re actually absent from work or disclose they are struggling with their mental health or physical health, or we see a drop in productivity.”

Prioritising exercise, nutrition and getting adequate sleep can all help to improve wellbeing, says Zaffino.

She also recommends setting boundaries at work, particularly given staff shortages mean many Aussies have been forced to take on additional duties.

“Be able to say to your manager, ‘You’re asking me to do two things. Which one is your priority?’” Zaffino says.

“Also set boundaries between home and work. When does the day end when you start at 7am, and you are still going at 6pm because you are working from home?”

Not so festive

The approaching Christmas period will exacerbate worker anxiety, particularly for those in the retail sector, according to WorkJam APAC managing director Andrew Myers.

As shopper stress and emotions run high, Myers expects more Aussie retailers to follow the lead of supermarket giant Coles, which last month introduced body cameras to counter shoplifting and threats against staff.

Costs of living will also play on the emotional wellbeing of retail workers who, despite the busy period, often do not get the hours they need to make ends meet, he says.

“The challenge in retail is traditionally, employers over-hire and then under-utilise … which means a lot of employees are only getting what I would call non-meaningful hours,” says Myers.

He recommends employers embrace technology that allows staff to nominate for available shifts across numerous stores, rather than the traditional practise of hiring for specific locations.

Some workers will abandon shifts even when they need the money, Myers says. This is more common if they are the only staff member rostered to work overnight in a convenience outlet, citing fears for their personal safety.

Michelle Irving lived with chronic illness for almost two decades.

‘Pushing through’

Experts agree there’s a strong link between physical and emotional wellbeing and, where there is a decline in one area, there’s often also a weakening in the other.

Former government worker Michelle Irving knows this situation all too well.

Having lived with chronic illness for almost two decades, the effects on her mental health have been significant, forcing her to take time away from work.

“Being a hidden, invisible illness, it (chronic illness) is really something that takes an emotional and mental toll,” says Irving, who is now an executive coach and founder of Career and Chronic Illness International.

“At one point, things became quite serious and I was bed bound for months at a time.

“You always feel like you are not performing (at work) even though the truth is you are often over performing. I was working so hard (to prove the illness was not career-limiting) that I had the most positive and powerful (employer) feedback ever.

“Pushing through is a very common strategy and all my energies were going into my work performance but then, when I came home, all I could do was go to bed and sleep.”

Health concerns

• One in seven Aussie workers report a physical health decline or having significant physical health challenges

• More than one in 10 workers report a mental health decline or significant mental health challenges

• Physical health problems impact workers mental health – the mental health scores of workers facing physical health problems are at least 27 points below workers reporting good physical health.

Source: Telus Health