Workplace absenteeism in Spain: what if preventive health became part of business strategy?

Workplace absenteeism has become one of Spain's major economic challenges. Behind the figures are lost working hours, difficulties organising teams, extra strain on other employees and costs that affect both companies and the economy as a whole.

But there is another dimension worth considering: what would happen if, in addition to managing sick leave when it appears, companies made it easier for their employees to access prevention and health care?

A cost that keeps growing

According to the Adecco report cited by Libertad Digital, workplace absenteeism represented an estimated cost of €59,109 million in Spain in 2025, 11.7% more than in 2024 and almost double the 2019 figure. The average absenteeism rate reached 7.6% of agreed working hours, an all-time high.

The report also highlights the weight of temporary incapacity and the rise of mental health problems, which are among the relevant factors for understanding how sick leave has evolved.

These figures invite us to broaden the conversation. Absenteeism is not solved through administrative measures alone: it also requires understanding health factors, working conditions and the barriers that can delay access to health care.

From reacting to illness to anticipating it

Preventive medicine proposes a change of approach: not always waiting for significant symptoms to appear before starting to care for one's health.

In practice, it means making appropriate clinical assessments accessible, identifying risk factors, reviewing habits and offering professional guidance so that each person can make informed decisions about their wellbeing.

Among the areas that can be addressed, depending on each team's needs, are:

• Cardiovascular and metabolic health: detection and monitoring of relevant risk factors.
• Mental health: early access to guidance and support, together with organisational measures that help reduce psychosocial risks.
• Musculoskeletal health: ergonomics, movement and strategies to prevent discomfort and functional limitations.
• Sleep, physical activity and healthy habits: education and support to sustain beneficial changes.
• Personalised follow-up: reviewing results and referring to the appropriate healthcare professional when necessary.

It is not about running indiscriminate tests or turning every aspect of life into a medical indicator. It is about offering proportionate, evidence-based care adapted to people's real needs.

The company as a facilitator of access to health

Many people postpone check-ups or do not know which professional to turn to when a health concern arises. Making preventive services easier to access can reduce some of those barriers and help detect problems that deserve attention before they become complicated.

A company can embrace this perspective through corporate health programmes that allow employees to access preventive assessments, professional consultations and personalised recommendations, with options compatible with their schedules and needs.

The goal is not to replace the public health system, occupational risk prevention services or routine medical care. It is to complement them responsibly and help people find the right resource sooner.

Prevention must also respect privacy. Individual clinical data must remain strictly confidential; the company should only receive aggregated, anonymised information where appropriate, and individual medical results should never be used to make employment decisions.

Can prevention reduce the cost of absenteeism?

It is a possibility that deserves rigorous evaluation. A well-designed preventive programme can help improve health, support early detection and sustain employees' functional capacity. However, no automatic reduction in sick leave or guaranteed savings should ever be promised.

The available evidence calls for prudence. A systematic review and meta-analysis published in 2026 on occupational health interventions found potentially favourable economic outcomes, but no statistically significant reduction in absenteeism in the pooled analysis. The authors also noted that results depended on the type of intervention and that health assessments should be accompanied by structured follow-up pathways.

This distinction matters: running tests is not, by itself, prevention. Value appears when information is interpreted correctly, translated into useful recommendations and supported by follow-up that helps act on the identified risks.

That is why companies interested in investing in preventive health should measure results over time. Possible indicators include employee participation, access to consultations, the evolution of specific risk factors, days of absence, the duration of sick leave and perceived wellbeing. The evaluation should also consider the cost of the programme and other changes that may influence the results.

SHOMMA: taking prevention beyond the individual consultation

At SHOMMA Healthspan Center we champion an integral view of health: understanding each person's state of health, identifying their priorities and supporting them in decisions that help maintain their health and quality of life in the long term.

This philosophy can also be applied to the corporate world. Making it easier for teams to access preventive assessments, professional guidance and personalised follow-up allows organisations to embed health care into their wellbeing strategy.

In the case of women, it is also important to bear in mind that their health needs may change across the different stages of life. Care that is sensitive to those changes can help address relevant issues without reducing women's health to a single stage or a single set of symptoms.

A corporate programme can start with a needs assessment, continue with preventive pathways suited to each participant and offer follow-up where indicated. All of it should be designed with clinical criteria, privacy safeguards and measurable objectives.

Caring for people is also thinking long term

Absenteeism is a complex problem with no single cause and no universal solution. Working conditions, work organisation, mental health, chronic illness and difficulties accessing health care can all play different roles depending on the context.

That is why a responsible business strategy should combine healthy working conditions with prevention, access to professional care and follow-up. It is not about asking people to fall ill less often, but about creating better opportunities to care for their health.

Investing in prevention does not guarantee the end of sick leave. But it does allow companies to move from acting only when the problem appears to building a broader strategy of health, wellbeing and sustainability.

The question is no longer just how much absenteeism costs. It is also how much value a company can create when it makes it easy for its employees to look after their health before bigger problems appear.

At SHOMMA we believe health deserves an integral, preventive and personalised view. Because caring for yourself today is a way of building a future with more health, autonomy and quality of life.

SHOMMA Healthspan Center Listen to your biology. Design your longevity.