Burnout sees workers in the Netherlands taking longer sick leave
Long-term sick leave has increased in the Netherlands, reports occupational health and safety service provider Arbo Unie. At an average of 28 days taken at a time, workers are off sick longer than ever before, mainly due to burnout and stress.
Long-term sick leave on the rise in the Netherlands
Figures from Arbo Unie have shown that workers in the Netherlands are taking longer sick leave every year. Three years ago, the average length of sick leave was 24 days, rising to 27 days in 2024.
So far this year, the average number of consecutive sick days has increased to 28 days. "If this continues, we'll be at two months in 10 years," Arbo Unie doctor and professor of occupational medicine Corné Roelen told AD.
Burnout and stress affecting workers more often
Colds and flu are not the main reason behind the rise, but rather other health problems such as burnout and stress. Roelen believes this is because of the many demands people face in society today. "We have to do so much these days. We have to exercise enough, relax, and eat healthily."
To prevent burning out, Roelen advises staff who feel overworked to prioritise their own well-being. "Take control: you feel overworked, but what do you really want?” they explain. “Give yourself an afternoon off work and leave your laptop closed after 5pm in the afternoon. How important is that extra preparation for tomorrow morning's presentation, really?"
Dutch sick leave reports return to pre-COVID levels
During the coronavirus pandemic, sick leave reports spiked to a total of 467.953 in 2022. This has since returned to normal levels, declining to 371.000 in 2024, with 64 percent of reports due to colds or flu.
As temperatures cool, the flu season is starting back up again, and it is just a matter of time before people start getting sick. "If someone sits in an open-plan office and starts coughing and sneezing, you're infecting others." The same applies to public transport. "Getting sick is inherent to society," says Roelen.
According to Arbo Unie, employees between the ages of 25 and 35 are sick most often, at 27 percent of all sick leave reports, followed by workers aged 35 to 45 (23 percent). Workers 25 years and younger report sick the least often, accounting for just 9 percent of sick leave reports.