Almost 4 out of 10 Belgians do not call in sick for a single day

In the debate around absenteeism, the focus is usually on who is frequently absent. At the same time, there are also employees who do not have a single day of absence on a yearly basis. These so-called zero absentees are an interesting group to better understand (long-term) absences. It is also interesting for organisations to know what typifies zero absentees and exactly what factors play a role.

Clear differences emerge between groups of workers based on data collected between 2022 and 2024. People aged 45 and older, for instance, appear to call in sick remarkably less often than their younger colleagues: 40.8% of them reported a completely disease-free year, compared to 33.5% in the younger age group. There is also a striking difference between men and women: where 41.1% of men did not record a single sick day, the figure for women is 32.1%.

Job type also plays a role: executives score highest on zero absenteeism (51.2%), followed by white-collar workers (37.2%) and blue-collar workers (30.3%). Finally, managers (46%) appear to call in sick noticeably less often than non-managers (34.3%).

Absenteeism expert Bart Teuwen: “Managers are often focused on who is absent, but paying attention to the employees who are always there is also important. Motivation plays a crucial role among those zero absentees. The greater someone’s motivation is, the more likely that person will not call in sick. Only 1 in 5 employees who do not feel motivated were not absent for a single day in the year before the survey. Among highly motivated colleagues, this rises to almost 44%.

Autonomy and space to organise your work yourself also visibly contribute to more zero absenteeism. The fact that zero absenteeism is less common among workers and women has several reasons. Physical strain can trigger complaints more quickly, but the extent to which caring tasks are included in the private sphere may also play a role. Here is a clear task for managers and organisations.”

In addition to age and motivation, the sector in which a person works also plays a role. Employees in the financial, energy, and ICT sectors most often report an absence-free year. On the other hand, zero absenteeism is lowest among people working in health and social services, arts and culture, and education.

Bart Teuwen: “Sectors with high zero absenteeism are characterised by predictable working conditions, high autonomy, and strong focus on prevention. In contrast, in sectors with low zero absenteeism, we see high workloads, emotional strain, and limited control over one’s own work. This increases the likelihood of health problems and lowers the threshold for absenteeism.”

How people feel at work also has a significant impact. Employees planning to leave their jobs are more likely to call in sick. The stronger that intention, the lower the zero absenteeism rate. Mental resilience also plays a role: those who are resilient are more likely to stay disease-free for a whole year (39.8%) than those who are not (28.3%).

“Appreciation, development opportunities, and social connectedness play a big role in motivation. When employees feel seen and valued, they stay engaged and energised. So investing in personal growth and a strong team culture works to strengthen zero absenteeism.”

The results from the survey help define predictors of absenteeism, which can help employers better understand and prevent absenteeism.

Those predictors indicate which factors have a positive and negative influence on possible zero absenteeism. Thus, higher age, job type, motivation, and resilience emerge as positive influences. In turn, women, employees who find their work too physically demanding, and people who do not work day shifts appear less likely to have zero absenteeism.

Resilience in turn is strengthened by a workable mental and emotional workload, a healthy work-life balance, and a positive organisational culture. Work variety and the prospect of advancement opportunities are also found to be motivating elements that contribute to employee well-being and engagement.

Bart Teuwen: “The Arizona government’s coalition agreement underlines the importance of an active absenteeism policy. Our figures confirm that zero absenteeism stems not only from the health of employees, but rather from prevention, culture, and motivation – factors where the employer can actively make a difference. Investing in trust and dialogue means investing in sustainable results.”