Norwegian workers report higher sickness rates than Swedish counterparts

Norwegian workers are reported to have higher sickness rates than their Swedish counterparts across various industries. In companies operating in both Norway and Sweden, absenteeism among Norwegian employees is significantly greater. This trend extends even to the banking sector, known for its low unemployment rates, where Norwegian staff also exhibit higher sickness levels. Interestingly, Swedes who move to Norway tend to adopt these higher absence rates.

In the postal company Posten Bring, for example, the sickness absence rate in Sweden was 3.5% last year, compared to 7.1% in Norway. Kenneth Pettersen, acting communications manager at Posten Bring, noted that Norway’s absenteeism has consistently outpaced that of Sweden and Denmark, despite similar job roles.

The difference is also evident in the railway company VY, where sickness absence among employees in Norway reached 8.6% last year, while Sweden’s rate was 6.6%. Although the Swedish rate has slightly declined this year, Norway’s has remained unchanged. Kaja Rynning Moen from VY highlighted that long-term absence shows the largest disparity between the two countries.

Storebrand also reflects this phenomenon, with sick leave rates standing at 3.4% in Norway against 2.4% in Sweden. It raises questions about Norway’s generous sick leave policies and their impact on overall health. Ulf Andersen from Nav emphasized that sickness absence in Norway is markedly higher than in other Nordic countries, a trend attributed to the Norwegian sick leave system.

The issue is pressing, as current discussions focus on reforming the sick leave system to balance employee welfare with workforce participation, especially given the rise in mental health issues among young women.