The absenteeism rate is down a fraction from last year, but the average cost is up; two out of three no-shows aren’t physically ill.

The latest CCH Unscheduled Absence survey found 65% of absences are due to reasons like family issues (21%), personal needs (18%), entitlement mentality (14%) and stress (12%). Both of the latter went up over the past two years. Morale was a factor; the rate of unscheduled absenteeism was twice as high at companies with poor or fair morale. This report says traditional sick leave programs that only allow time off for illness are clearly out of sync with the times. Paid leave banks and buy-back programs, where employers “buy back” in cash or vacation time all or some of an employee’s unused sick time, were shown to be most effective in controlling absence; paid leave banks are up from 59% in 2003 to 67% this year; buy-back programs increased by 20% and are now at 58%. The report warns that with workloads so high and the labor market opening up, employees may be feeling less insecure and taking the mental health breaks they feel they deserve. The average number of work-life programs was up slightly. Those called most effective at curbing absenteeism: flu shot programs, alternative work arrangements, leave for school functions, telecommuting, compressed workweeks and onsite childcare.