Workplace impact on sickness absenteeism
The workplace environment significantly influences the amount of sick days taken by employees. Sick days decline when workers are able to influence their own work and when physical and psychosocial conditions in the workplace improve.
These issues were discussed in mid-June at a conference of occupational health experts, held in Turku. The conference was part of a wide range of efforts to improve the quality of working life and so make it more attractive, particularly for older workers.
The conference also looked at the impact of long sickness absences on the exclusion of workers from working life.
Its assessment of levels of absenteeism due to sickness forms part of efforts to draw up new guidelines for improving occupational health and rehabilitation. The conference also pinpointed the need for better country-wide information about sickness absenteeism.
More information:
Matti E. Lamberg, Ministerial Counsellor, Health/Medical Affairs, tel. +358 9 160 74342