# High employee absenteeism in the Netherlands

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/high-employee-absenteeism-in-the-netherlands
> Updated: 2026-08-20T05:58:00.000Z. Sources: 3. Developments: 2.

Employee absenteeism in the Netherlands has reached historically high levels, driven largely by an increase in long-term sick leave. Research by Acture indicates that the Dutch transport sector specifically loses the labor capacity of approximately 11,000 employees annually due to prolonged absenteeism, a situation compounded by a shortage of roughly 14,200 vacancies. 

While overall absenteeism rates saw a marginal decrease from 4.8 percent in June to 4.7 percent in July, experts from ArboNed and HumanCapitalCare note that rates remain elevated compared to previous years. Stress-related illness is identified as a significant factor in these trends. Although the frequency of sick reports per 1,000 employees declined in July, the sustained high percentage of absenteeism continues to be a primary concern for occupational health services.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-20: Netherlands employee absenteeism remains historically high

Dutch employee absenteeism fell slightly to 4.7 percent in July but remains historically high, driven largely by long-term and stress-related illness.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/netherlands-employee-absenteeism-remains-historically-high

### 2026-07-27: Netherlands transport sector loses 11,000 workers to prolonged absenteeism

Acture's study warns the Dutch transport sector loses about 11,000 workers annually to long sick leave; a three‑year structured approach could reclaim 44 % of that capacity and ease a 14,200‑vacancy shortage, 6

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/netherlands-transport-sector-loses-11000-workers-to-prolonged-absenteeism

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Cite as: High employee absenteeism in the Netherlands. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/high-employee-absenteeism-in-the-netherlands