Absenteeism due to stress increasing in South Africa

Absenteeism due to stress increased slightly in companies around South Africa in 2008 compared with the previous year - in line with indications that the country is experiencing an economic downturn. So far in 2008, 3.4% of all sick leave incidents were due to psychological illness such as stress, depression and anxiety up until the end of June this year. In 2006, 3.9 % of all sick absenteeism incidents were related stress, and in 2007 this figure was 3.1%. This was discovered on analysis of research carried out by Cam Solutions using Absolv absenteeism software, which generated statistics from 100 000 employees in 60 South African companies, using data from doctor-issued sick certificates for employees in these firms.

CEO of CAM Solutions, Johnny Johnson says, “Noting these statistics, it seems obvious that the with economic situation worsening in the country and firms - especially in the industrial sector - cutting back on staff, that employees might be feeling more strain, whether it be financial or emotional due to the risk of losing their jobs.

“Companies should therefore continue to ask themselves what they could do to make their staff happy and productive. If not, employees might eventually become so stressed as to be debilitated in the working environment.”

Some companies have already found innovative ways to deal with employee stress. Continental Tyre South Africa (CTSA) recently announced they would be offering debt counselling services to staff. The Eastern Cape’s first registered debt counsellor and former CTSA employee, Zuki Bhaku, visits the firm’s head office in Port Elizabeth every week to assist employees in managing and paying off their debts.

Bhaku, of Khomani Mavoko Debt Counsellors, says, “CTSA realised that many employees were in severe financial difficulty. This was causing people to be absent from work because they didn't even have taxi fare to come to work. Some employees would even go AWOL so that they can be dismissed and gain access to their provident fund to help them pay off mounting debts. After a few months they call asking to have for their old jobs back. Many people trying to survive in today’s economic climate have numerous loans, court orders and garnishees etc which all accumulate interest and so they become trapped in a vicious cycle of debt. Previously there was nothing one could do as the debt collectors had no mercy and people had to take out additional loans to survive from one week to the next.

"Debt counsellor consultation fees are paid by CTSA on behalf of their employees so they can access this service for free. The tyre firm does not know the names of the employees who come to me for a consultation, only the number of employees who are using the service,"Bhaku says.

CTSA PR and communications manager, Rene Oliver adds that this debt counselling service could be seen as part of CTSA’s employee wellness programme, “One could say it sees to the 'financial wellness' of employees. If one is financially fit, stress levels reduce and this translates into a better overall feeling of wellness and productivity.

According to the latest research undertaken by CAMS, about R 19.144 billion is lost due to sick absenteeism in South Africa, of that would mean that about R 325 million has been lost due to stress related absenteeism so far in 2008, by companies who had to pay the direct costs of sick leave. The indirect costs of staff replacement and lost productivity time, due to stress in 2008 trebles this amount to close on R 1 billion for the first half of the year.