started · updated
Stress-Related Sick Days Reach Record 119 per 100 Insured in Germany 2025
The Kaufmännische Krankenkasse (KKH) reported that in 2025 German employees recorded a record 119 sick‑days per 100 insured due to acute stress reactions and adjustment disorders. This marks an increase from 112 days in 2024 and from 66 days in 2017 – an rise of roughly 80 %. The diagnoses were the most common psychiatric condition among workers and the third‑leading cause of sick leave overall, after upper‑respiratory infections and back pain.
KKH physician Aileen Könitz explained the trend as “the invisible stress of uncertainty”, noting that flexible work arrangements can become a source of strain when clear rules, responsibilities and boundaries are missing. The data highlight a growing public‑health issue linked to modern work patterns and prolonged mental pressure.
Entities
Acute stress reactions · Adjustment disorders · Aileen Könitz · German employees · Germany · KKH Kaufmännische Krankenkasse · Kaufmännische Krankenkasse (KKH)
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 4 SOURCES] Acute stress reactions and adjustment disorders were the most common psychiatric diagnosis among employed persons in 2025. www.eu-schwerbehinderung.eu · www.experten.de · hier-luebeck.de
- [● 5 SOURCES] In 2025 German employees recorded 119 sick days per 100 insured due to acute stress reactions and adjustment disorders. www.eu-schwerbehinderung.eu · www.experten.de · hier-luebeck.de · taz.de
- [● 2 SOURCES] Flexible work arrangements can increase stress when clear rules and boundaries are missing. www.experten.de · hier-luebeck.de
- [● 3 SOURCES] The increase from 2017 to 2025 represents an approximately 80 % rise. www.eu-schwerbehinderung.eu · www.experten.de · hier-luebeck.de
- [● 3 SOURCES] In 2017 the figure was 66 sick days per 100 insured. www.eu-schwerbehinderung.eu · www.experten.de · hier-luebeck.de
- [● 4 SOURCES] In 2024 the same diagnoses accounted for 112 sick days per 100 insured. www.eu-schwerbehinderung.eu · www.experten.de · hier-luebeck.de · taz.de
- [● 3 SOURCES] KKH physician Aileen Könitz described the trend as “the invisible stress of uncertainty”. www.eu-schwerbehinderung.eu · www.experten.de · hier-luebeck.de
- [● 2 SOURCES] These diagnoses were the third most frequent cause of sick leave overall, after upper‑respiratory infections and back pain. hier-luebeck.de · taz.de