In all types of industries, Norwegians are sicker than their Swedish counterparts. In companies with operations in both countries, sickness absence among employees is far higher in Norway than in Sweden. Even in the banking sector, which is known for its low unemployment, Norwegian employees are sicker than in neighboring countries. And according to Nav, Swedes adapt to Norwegian absenteeism levels when they move across the border. 3.5 per cent in Sweden – 7.1 per cent in Norway One of the companies with large differences in sickness absence on either side of the border is Posten Bring. AT THE TERMINAL: In Posten Bring Norge, there is a greater chance that employees will call in sick. Photo: Vilde Midtbø Ulsten / news – Sick leave in Bring Sweden last year was 3.5 per cent, while in Norway it was 7.1 per cent. That’s what Kenneth Pettersen, acting communications manager at Posten Bring, says. For many years, sickness absence in Posten Bring has been higher in Norway than in Sweden and Denmark, even though the work tasks are quite similar. ABSENCE IN POST: Const. communications director, Kenneth Pettersen. Photo: Posten – In Sweden, staffing mainly consists of terminal and warehouse workers. In Norway, Posten Bring also has large groups of postmen and drivers, says Pettersen. High sickness absence in the train company The differences are also significant in the train company VY. Last year, sickness absence among the VY group’s employees in Norway was 8.6 per cent. The absence in Sweden was 6.6 per cent. While absenteeism in Sweden has fallen slightly since last year, the number is the same for Norway, so far this year. – It looks as if the long-term absence is where there is the biggest difference between Norway and Sweden. Although the differences are certainly present when it comes to short-term absences as well. That is what Kaja Rynning Moen, press officer at VY, writes in an e-mail to news. Moen emphasizes that VY has implemented a number of measures. Inclusion, diversity and safety are being worked on to reduce absenteeism. So far they have not succeeded. A well-known phenomenon Although Storebrand’s operations in Norway have little absenteeism, the employees here are sicker than Swedish colleagues in the company. – Our own sickness absence figures in the Storebrand group show 3.4 per cent in Norway and 2.4 per cent in Sweden. That’s what Tove Selnes, in Storebrand, says. STARTED PROJECT: Storebrand has started a project with companies to get employees back to work faster, says HR director Tove Selnes. Photo: Lise Eide Risanger / Storebrand – This is a very complex problem, but we cannot escape the fact that we have to look at the sick pay scheme in our country. People don’t get sick just from crossing the border, says Selnes. At Nav, head of statistics Ulf Andersen is not particularly surprised that people with the same job in the same group are sicker in this country. – It is a well-known phenomenon that sickness absence in Norway is very high, and significantly higher than in the other Nordic countries, says Andersen. It has been like this for a number of years. Andersen points to the importance of the Norwegian sick pay scheme: – We know that Swedes who live and work in Norway have approximately the same sickness absence as Norwegians. Sickness absence for Swedish employees is thus higher in Norway than it is in Sweden. It also suggests that the various schemes in the countries play a significant role. CLEAR TREND: Head of Statistics at Nav, Ulf Andersen, says more Swedes take sick leave when they move to Norway. Photo: NAV In Norway, more employees are on sick leave than in all comparable countries, according to Nav. Sick leave is still higher than before the corona. The figures also show that absenteeism is increasing among young women. The disorder with the strongest growth is what is called “mild mental disorders”. LO: – Inclusion machine Although LO, together with NHO, is in favor of investigating changes in sick pay, they are skeptical of comparing Norway with Sweden. – It is hopeless to compare sickness absence across countries, with such different welfare schemes. The sick pay scheme in Norway is an inclusion machine, while in other countries it is rather a scheme that pushes people out of working life. The relevant figure to look at is the level of employment. There, Norway is at the top of the world. This is stated by the 2nd deputy chairman of the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions, Steinar Krogstad. WON’T WEAKEN PAYERS’ PAY: LO’s second deputy chair Steinar Krogstad and chair Peggy Hessen Følsvik. They agree to investigate changes, but do not want to reduce sick pay. Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB Figures from Statistics Norway show that the employment rate in Sweden is 82.4 per cent, while in Norway it is 81 per cent. The OECD also links the high sickness absence to what they call a “very generous” sick pay scheme. Norway also tops the list for money spent on sick pay. Norway spends almost four times more than the OECD average, and almost twice as much as number two on the list. Although LO does not reject any change in sick pay, they warn against the price of lower absences. – The price for lower sickness absence will often be that more people drop out of working life. And the price for better inclusion and higher employment will be higher sickness absence. You cannot reap the benefits of one without paying the price with the other, says LO deputy leader Krogstad. news has contacted a total of 12 large companies with operations in both Sweden and Norway. Not everyone wants to provide information on the differences in sickness absence per country. Some refer to holiday time and lack of access to the figures. Agreement on working life to be negotiated The parties in working life have entered into an agreement – the IA agreement – to make Norwegian working life more inclusive. This autumn, the content of the IA agreement will be renegotiated. The first IA agreement between the government and the parties in working life was concluded in 2001 and has been renewed several times since. The starting point for the agreement is an inclusive working life. There is agreement that it is necessary to reduce sickness absence and drop-outs from working life. Even if everyone agrees on the goal, absenteeism does not decrease in most companies. Today, the State pays the bill for long-term absences, while the company covers the expenses for short-term absences. LO and NHO are open to changes in the agreement, but LO rejects any weakening of employee benefits. Sick leave in Norway is still higher than before the pandemic and young women, including those without children, are more sick than before. The last IA agreement was concluded in January 2019 and applies to all businesses, and provides opportunities to get assistance from NAV Arbeidslivssenter. All proposals for a less generous sick pay scheme have so far been voted down. – There is nothing to suggest that Norwegians are sicker than other nationalities. On the contrary, we generally have good health in the population compared to many others, says head of statistics Andersen at Nav. SVINESUND: Here the border is at the Svinesund bridge. If a Swede works on the Norwegian side, that person probably has more sick leave. Photo: NTB Published 28/07/2024, at 08.24
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Employees in Norway are sicker than in Sweden – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
