Pandemic challenges: Canadian workers losing 48 days per year to absences and presenteeism

An average of 48 days per employee were lost in 2022 due to health-related absences and presenteeism and that is costing employers close to $645 million annually, says the Manulife 2022 Wellness Report, which was released on Tuesday.

The report is an assessment of existing workplace wellness measures of Canadian employers and highlights that a sizeable portion of Canadian workers are struggling to take care of their health and well-being, resulting in a significant drop in productivity throughout the workforce.

“While some productivity loss due to absences and presenteeism is expected, it is concerning to see these numbers have increased year-over-year, for the past three years,” said Ashesh Desai, Head, Group Benefits, Manulife Canada. “In response to this trend, I encourage leaders and organizations to focus on the needs of their employees and design innovative, health-focused plans to support stronger, healthier cultures and high performance.”

The report said the pandemic put new pressures and strains on Canadians, and as a result, we’re seeing potential effects on their health continue three years later.

According to The Wellness Report, the average number of days lost to absences and presenteeism has increased by seven days compared to data from 2021, and the health of younger Canadians (18 to 24-year-old workers) shows worrying trends. The data also shows poor sleep is associated with decreased levels of physical and mental health – with work-related stress being the top contributor to poor sleep, said Manulife.

“The trends in this report underline the close connections between stress and sleep, and physical and mental health – and offer insights into how to help support employee health and well-being,” said Dr. Steve Pomedli of Cleveland Clinic Canada.

To read the full report: https://www.manulife.ca/business/group-benefits/wellness-report/wellness-report-in-2022.html

(Mario Toneguzzi is Managing Editor of Canada’s Podcast. He has more than 40 years of experience as a daily newspaper writer, columnist, and editor. He worked for 35 years at the Calgary Herald, covering sports, crime, politics, health, faith, city and breaking news, and business. He works as well as a freelance writer for several national publications and as a consultant in communications and media relations/training. Mario was named in 2021 as one of the Top 10 Business Journalists in the World by PR News – the only Canadian to make the list)