The absence rate reflects absenteeism in a sector or occupation, with an unusual rate above 5%. Statisticians compile data on the frequency of absences among full-time workers, which can highlight trends and identify occupations with high rates. High absence rates can indicate underlying problems, and missing work can cost businesses money. Annual absence rate statistics are available from government agencies and trade journals.
Absence rate is a ratio that reflects absenteeism in a particular sector or occupation. It’s unusual to see an absence rate above five percent. Many organizations are involved in collecting and compiling labor statistics, including information on absenteeism, and publish data on a regular basis to provide information on employment and workplace trends. If a workplace has an unusually high absence rate, it can be a sign of an underlying problem such as unsafe or hostile working conditions.
People can be absent from work for a variety of reasons. When calculating the absence rate, statisticians usually don’t consider the reason. People away due to illness, childcare reasons, and so on are all lumped together with people who do things like miss work to attend a professional conference. The absence rate is determined only by looking at the frequency of absences among full-time workers. Statistics can be compiled by taking reports from individual companies, as well as interviewing employees about their work habits. Large sampling is done to avoid skewing the results.
Statisticians who focus on employment issues may also be interested in the costs of absenteeism. Missing work is generally considered a loss to a business, for a variety of reasons. Some companies provide sick pay, and then an absent employee costs money without contributing to the company. In other cases, having an employee go missing requires hiring a temporary replacement, mixing other employees around, delaying projects, and taking other steps to compensate. All of these steps can cost the business money and can significantly increase across the entire workforce.
In statistical analyses, people usually show the absence rate by sector or profession. This highlights specific trends, such as a high rate among education workers compared to construction workers. Looking at individual professions can provide more insight into specific industries. This information can be used to provide estimates of the cost of absenteeism in certain industries and to identify occupations with an unusually high rate of absenteeism.
Annual absence rate statistics are usually available, and most organizations keep records so people can compare data from previous years. The best source of recent data is usually a government agency charged with maintaining labor statistics. For more detailed discussions of specific industries and trends, it can sometimes be helpful to review related trade journals and publications. These resources can provide more context and analysis for readers.
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