What is Absence Rate?
This metric calculates the rate of unplanned absence due to sickness or other causes. The rate can be measured for an individual, team, or the company as a whole. Each number gives information about the vitality of the company.
How to calculate Absence Rate?
(#) of days absent / total number of working days = Absence Rate
Pros:
If you are supporting a large or dispersed team this rate can give you an indication of the "health" of those teams, departments or locations at a glance. An absence rate of 1.5% is considered normal. A lower rate may indicate employees are afraid of taking unscheduled absences, preferring presenteeism that could indicate issues with company culture. A higher rate may indicate another range of issues impacting employee wellbeing.
Cons:
This is a metric that requires some digging into once you know what the rate is. It's also good to check what the average is for your local industry and country as a comparison, as these can vary greatly based on local terms and conditions. Like any other type of "average" it’s important to know your data points behind the numbers in order to make well-informed interventions.
