Absenteeism among workers aged 65 and older rose by 50% in 2025 compared to 2024 due to a recent increase in the legal retirement age, according to a study published on Thursday by HR service provider Securex.
Last year, overall absenteeism in the country decreased, but for senior employees, medium-term absences lasting between one month and a year increased from 1.0% in 2024 to 1.5% in 2025. The rise was more pronounced among employees, with an increase of 53%, compared to 37% among manual labourers.
Securex noted the sharp increase coincided with the implementation of pension reforms in 2025, which extended working years for older employees. The number of people aged 65 and older holding positions increased by 35.7%, an additional 18,900 jobs.
“For years, we observed a ‘healthy worker effect’ among workers aged 65 and older—only those who were in good health and motivated chose to continue working at that age,” said Elisabeth Etter, a Securex consultant.
"However, following the pension reform, this group expanded and became more diverse, leading to a greater proportion of workers experiencing physical or mental health challenges.”
Long-term absenteeism, defined as absences exceeding one year, also rose among workers aged 65 and older, reaching 8.7% in 2025—a 16% increase from 2024.
The study analysed data from 22,583 employers and 188,857 private-sector workers.
