20 Statistics Centered Around Employee Absenteeism [2025] | TeamSense
Apr 16, 2025
20+ Statistics About Absenteeism in the Workplace [2025]
Uncover key insights on workplace absenteeism in 2025. Explore revealing statistics and trends that impact productivity and business success.
Fix the root cause of No-Call No-Show with help from TeamSense
Table of Contents
- What is Employee Absenteeism?
- Absenteeism in the Workplace Statistics: General Statistics
- 1. The yearly cost of employee absenteeism is 225.8 billion dollars.
- 2. In 2024, the absence rate was at 3.2%.
- 3. Almost 50% of overtime is used to cover employee absences.
- 4. The estimated loss of productivity due to unplanned absence reaches almost 40%.
- 5. Employers notice an increase in absences on Mondays and Fridays and before public holidays and sporting and national events.
- 6. More than half of large employers (1,000+ employees) reported using a manual or no systematic process to manage absenteeism.
- 7. HR managers are handling more requests for leave than ever before.
- 8. Both small and large companies are planning to digitize their HR efforts.
- 9. Companies using attendance tracking software have seen almost a 20% reduction in absence rates.
- Absenteeism in the Workplace Statistics: Reasons for Employee Absences
- Absenteeism in the Workplace Statistics: Absenteeism by Industry
- In the manufacturing industry, injury and illness are the leading causes of absences.
- Healthcare support occupations have the highest absence rate in the U.S. at 4.3%.
- While professional and technical services occupations have the lowest absence rate at 2.4%.
- A third-party logistics company was able to reduce their absenteeism by 39% using TeamSense.
- More About Employee Absenteeism
- Reduce Employee Absenteeism with TeamSense
If you're an HR professional or manage a large number of hourly employees, then the topic of absenteeism is no doubt always top of mind. But, how much of what you're dealing with is normal, and how much is not?
Absenteeism in the workplace has increased in the past five years—and one in 10 employees are absent on days they’re scheduled to come to work. While planned PTO is standard, when employees don’t show up, supervisors have to scramble to fill shifts, coworkers have to cover their team members, and productivity can tank.
To get to the bottom of it, we've put together some of the most impactful statistics about absenteeism in the workplace. We hope that they provide clarity on the costs of absenteeism, why employees miss work, and what industries are impacted the most. Let’s dive in!
What is Employee Absenteeism? Direct link to What is Employee Absenteeism?
Employee absenteeism is a habitual pattern of being absent from work that goes against the accepted employee attendance policy. This isn’t when employees are using their PTO. Rather, they call in last minute or are even " no-call, no-shows."
There are several reasons why an employee may miss work, from being sick or having to take care of a loved one. However, excessive absenteeism can be a significant problem for businesses when it leads to decreased productivity, poor morale among other staff, and increased costs due to the need for temporary replacement staff or overtime payments.
Absenteeism in the Workplace Statistics: General Statistics Direct link to Absenteeism in the Workplace Statistics: General Statistics
These statistics on absenteeism in the workplace cover absenteeism rates, the cost of absenteeism, common days employees are absent, and much more.
1. The yearly cost of employee absenteeism is 225.8 billion dollars. Direct link to 1. The yearly cost of employee absenteeism is 225.8 billion dollars.
There’s no doubt about it: $225.8 billion is a lot of money…that comes out to $1,685 per employee, per year. Why is absenteeism so costly? Absenteeism not only reduces productivity, but can also lead to increased spending on hiring and onboarding new employees, paying overtime for employees covering open shifts, and unplanned downtime.
2. In 2024, the absence rate was at 3.2%. Direct link to 2. In 2024, the absence rate was at 3.2%.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the national absence rate to be 3.2 percent in 2024, up .1% from 2023's absence rate of 3.1 percent, with the leading causes being injury and illness.
3. Almost 50% of overtime is used to cover employee absences. Direct link to 3. Almost 50% of overtime is used to cover employee absences.
Just because an employee can’t make it to work doesn’t mean the work stops. So it’s no surprise that 47% of overtime is used to cover shifts when team members are out.