Overworked and Under the Weather: Care Sector Employees Suffer Higher Absence Rates than other Professions
Healthcare Employees Frequently Falls Ill Compared to Workers in Other Industries - Healthcare Professionals, Particularly Nurses, Face Higher Illness Rates Compared to Workers in Other Sectors
Hey there! Here's a lowdown on a study by Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.
It seems care workers are taking more time off work than their counterparts in other industries. According to TK, the average care worker in the northeast was absent for about 32.6 days last year. That's a pretty significant gap compared to the national average of 28.5 days across all sectors.
Manon Austenat-Wied, TK's state manager, explains that care workers' sick leave is significantly higher than in other professions. In fact, the average sick leave across all occupations in TK's records was a more manageable 24.6 days last year.
Why are care workers falling ill more frequently? Well, according to TK, these superheroes are putting their health on the line every day. The constant strain they face certainly doesn't help. Austenat-Wied encourages care providers to create a nurturing work environment to keep the profession appealing and support these vital individuals.
To gather this data, TK looked at sickness certificates for over 103,000 care workers insured in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. That's a lot of sick days! Keep in mind that TK serves around 224,000 policyholders in the region, making it one of the largest statutory health insurers.
Speaking of staffing, there's already a shortage of care workers in the region. Roughly 21,000 care workers are employed in more than 1,000 long-term care facilities and services across Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. With over 120,000 people needing care, the numbers are growing. The "Pact for Care" initiative, launched in 2023, aims to address this issue by retaining skilled workers and ensuring care services, even in remote areas. Otherwise, care facilities might have to shut down due to staffing shortages.
So what's causing these high sickness absence rates among care workers? General factors to consider might include:
- Physical and Emotional Demands: Care work is physically demanding and emotionally intense, often leading to exhaustion and stress-related health issues. This can cause mental health problems and musculoskeletal disorders.
- Work Environment: Care settings can expose workers to infectious diseases as well as other health concerns if safety measures aren't consistently maintained. The high-pressure environment could also lead to burnout.
- Shift Patterns and Work-Life Balance: Care workers often work irregular hours, including nights and long shifts, which can mess with sleep patterns and overall well-being.
For a more detailed analysis, it's best to refer to TK's publications and reports directly. Take care, folks!
- To potentially reduce the high sickness absence rates among care workers, it might be beneficial to implement a community policy that includes vocational training programs to enhance workplace-wellness, focusing on medical-conditions related to chronic diseases, health-and-wellness, fitness-and-exercise, and nutrition.
- By incorporating science-based wellness initiatives in vocational training, care providers could develop strategies that improve the overall health of their workforce, fostering a resilient and robust team capable of managing the physical and emotional demands of their profession.
- Vocational training programs could also address the importance of maintaining a safe and hygienic work environment, ensuring that care workers are less exposed to infectious diseases and other potential health hazards commonly found in care settings.
- In addition to providing comprehensive vocational training, it's crucial for care facilities to support their employees' work-life balance by offering appropriate shift patterns and encouraging fitness and exercise routines, nutritious meal options, and mental health resources to promote a positive work environment and retention of skilled workers.
