Record absenteeism in Spain: nearly 2 million workers miss work

Workplace absenteeism in Spain: nearly two million miss work every day

Why do almost two million workers in Spain fail to show up for work every day? The absenteeism figures put the country at the top of Europe, and the causes are an explosive cocktail mixing dubious sick leave, harsh working conditions and a shielded public sector that resists digitalisation.

The tug-of-war between public and private

In the private sector, low wages, toxic environments and unpaid overtime create a breeding ground for sick leave. "You pay crap, there are consequences," sums up one of the voices in the debate. Mental health is suffering, and absences due to mental illness are growing. Against that, the public sector drags along another reality: anecdotes about time fraud keep piling up. From caretakers clocking in for other civil servants to attempts to sabotage fingerprint readers with sugar or Coca-Cola. The culture of presenteeism without productivity remains deeply entrenched.

Sick leave at record highs

Sick leave is at levels comparable to the peaks of the pandemic, it is pointed out. And there is no shortage of examples that fuel the debate: a worker who faked an arm injury after a fall and then moved his arm like a tennis player, or depression stretched out over household accidents with no physical consequences. They are two sides of the same coin: those who abuse the system and those who genuinely need it.

Goldman Sachs, in its latest report, praised the "supreme quality of Spanish employment". Like the turron sweets, the most sceptical quip. And the truth is, with record absenteeism figures, the quality of the labour market has never been so evident.