Studies show Generation Z employees call in sick more often than older colleagues. But according to experts, this has nothing to do with laziness.
Young people offend many older people when they demand a four-day week or home office. Three quarters of those surveyed suspect that 18 to 29 year olds are more likely to be upset. The number of sick notes among those under 20 is more than twice as high as among employees in their 30s, according to a study by the Pronova BKK health insurance company.. The topic has now become a generational question. It is clear that the younger generation is characterized by a more sensitive early work ethic than older people, the study says. It also shows that younger employees report sick more frequently than older ones. The number of sick reports and absences has skyrocketed among young people, especially since the end of the pandemic. According to data from health insurance companies, the increase in respiratory diseases and infectious diseases is serious - and the Generation Z age group was particularly affected. Younger employees in particular simply forgot to send the “yellow slip” to their health insurance company. The electronic certificate of incapacity for work (eAU) has been available since 2022. The eAU ensures that sickness reports are automatically sent to us from the doctor’s office, thereby drastically reducing the number of unreported cases, said Sophie Schwab, regional head of the DAK in Bavaria, to our newspaper.