Illnesses are keeping more Belgians away from work

New figures reveal that an increasing number of Belgians are being forced to stay home from work due to illness. On an average workday, up to 6% of workers in the private sector are calling in sick. The figures show that illnesses have increased by one-third over the last decade.

The increase is largely due to people suffering long-term illess that prevent them from working, with 2.27% of those taking sick leave having been off for over a year. This marks the first time that those with long-term illness outnumber those with an acute illness.

The phenomenon is having a major effect on productivity in the country: The cost to the Belgian economy is more than €10 billion a year. The figures point to an ageing population as the root cause of long-term illness. Although older employees are sick less often, when they are struck with an illness, they stay away from work much longer.

With the most common illnesses - headache, insomnia and depression - making up 37% of all sick days, and the number of sick days of those over 50 doubling in the last 12 years, the problems point toward a work culture that may be in need of reform.