Book a free consultation for businesses
Book a free consultation for businesses
Absence cost calculator

How much are employee absences really costing you?

Find out the cost of sick leave in your industry. Use our free calculator developed by our experts and see how much you could save.
Enter your data and calculate costs
Select industry
8 904 PLN
Default value: average national salary - Statistics Poland (GUS) 2025 (8,903.56 PLN)
6,66%
Polish average excluding pregnancy-related leave: 6.66% - Conperio Absence Barometer 2024
Thank you for filling out the form!
We will be in touch soon.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Estimated annual cost of sick leave absenteeism
191,718 PLN
sick pay paid by the employer
Number of sick leave days per year
1,688 days
Cost of one sick leave day
237 PLN / sick leave day
Direct cost (80% sick pay)
191,718 PLN
Your company vs. average: Poland
Your company (35%)
Industry average (65%)
Potential savings
75,122 PLN
/ per year
with a 20% reduction in absenteeism - a conservative estimate consistent with the results of preventive programs (meta-analysis of 42 studies, AJPH)
This is not the only cost of absenteeism. The calculation above includes only the sick pay covered by the employer. Studies indicate that presenteeism costs — the reduced productivity of employees who come to work despite being ill — can be 1.5–6× higher than the costs of absenteeism itself. Their exact value is difficult to measure without conducting your own company study.
Talk to an expert - we will get back to you within 24h
Talk to an expert - we will get back to you within 24h
See how Multi.Life reduces absenteeism
Estimates based on data from ZUS (Sick Leave 2024), Statistics Poland (Wages in the National Economy 2025), Conperio (Sick Leave Barometer 2024), and the Deloitte Mental Health and Employers 2024 report. The calculator computes sick pay covered by the employer (the first 33 days of an L4 episode; 14 days for employees aged 50+). With a Polish average absenteeism rate of 6.66% (Conperio 2024) and 252 working days per year, the average number of sick leave days per employee is ~16.8 days annually—below the 33-day threshold where costs are taken over by ZUS. For the IT, finance, and pharmaceutical industries, estimated absenteeism rates based on European data (CIPD, ArboNed NL 2023) were used, as there is no Polish industry-specific data for these sectors. The savings potential is based on a conservative goal of a 20% reduction in absenteeism, consistent with the results of preventive programs described in literature (meta-analysis of 42 studies, American Journal of Health Promotion). The values are for indicative purposes only.
Expand and read more
The scale of the problem in Poland
Absenteeism is one of the biggest hidden costs for companies
Numerous scientific studies prove that wellbeing programs provide a measurable return on investment—they reduce sick leave and generate real savings for organizations. The key to success, however, is a well-planned, long-term wellbeing strategy.
Agata Olearczyk
PhD in Health Sciences, prevention specialist, Wellbeing Strategy Manager at Benefit Systems
290 million
days of sick leave in Poland in 2024
ZUS 2024
>31 billion PLN
total annual cost of absenteeism to the system
ZUS 2024
6.66%
average annual absenteeism rate in Polish companies (excluding pregnancy-related leave)
Conperio Barometer 2024
34.1 million
days of sick leave due to mental disorders in 2025 — an increase from 30.3 million in 2024
ZUS 2025
Reducing absenteeism can be simple
Reduce absenteeism with Multi.Life
Multi.Life is an intuitive well-being platform that combines team health support (psychologist, nutritionist, screenings) with HR analytics. It allows you to effectively reduce absenteeism costs and increase organizational efficiency based on hard data.
Building healthy
eating habits
Preventive screenings
at your fingertips
Continuity of psychological care
Psychological support and well-being care
Access to psychologists and psychotherapists via chat and online consultations. Your employee receives help exactly when they need it, which helps reduce stress and prevent long-term sick leave due to mental health issues.
Preventive healthcare that stays ahead of the problem
Integration with diagnostic tests and quick e-consultations. We help identify your employees' health issues at an early stage, before they lead to serious illnesses and weeks of absenteeism.
Nutrition and immunity building
Diet planner, chat with a nutritionist, and nutritional consultations. You support healthy habits within your team that directly translate into higher energy levels at work and fewer "seasonal" infections.
Analytics and Wellbeing Score (your command center)
You receive a proprietary tool for measuring team well-being. With access to anonymized data, you get a real-time picture of the situation in your company. You can proactively address burnout risks before you're surprised by sick leave statistics after the fact.
24/7 AI Assistant – support at your fingertips
You give your team constant support based on our experts' knowledge. The assistant helps build healthy habits and answers questions instantly (e.g., about stress reduction or sleep). Available 24/7, even outside of working hours.
Growth, psychoeducation, and work-life balance
You provide access to over 3,500 resources tailored to organizational needs: from professional courses and mindfulness to lifestyle content. Partnerships (e.g., Empik Go, Berlitz) support employee passions, building loyalty and commitment to the company.
Invest in your team's health without straining your budget
Comprehensive wellbeing support doesn't have to be expensive. Build a healthier, more engaged, and resilient organization with Multi.Life – starting from just 5 PLN per employee per month.
Let's talk
Your company could recover up to 20% of annual absenteeism costs
Schedule a 20-minute call with our expert.
See how similar companies reduce absenteeism costs and what you can implement in your organization — with no strings attached.
We will get back to you within 24 hours
The consultation is free and carries no obligation
You will receive a concrete plan for implementing effective health prevention in your organization
Our experts will help you implement effective physical and mental health prevention programs.
Fill out the form
Customize channels
Collapse

Data Controller: Benefit Systems S.A. with its registered office in Warsaw, at Plac Europejski 2, 00-844 Warsaw (hereinafter "we" or "Benefit Systems"). You can contact the controller via email at: daneosobowe@benefitsystems.pl or in writing at: Pl. Europejski 2, 00-844 Warsaw, with the note "Personal Data".

Read more
Collapse

Purposes and legal basis for processing:

We will process your personal data to handle your inquiry, including answering your questions or addressing your complaints. This processing is carried out in response to your request and based on our legitimate interest in managing inquiries or complaints directed to us, or potentially to fulfill a legal obligation imposed on us (e.g., if the matter concerns a request to exercise your rights under the GDPR). Furthermore, we will process your personal data for marketing purposes based on your consent, as well as for purposes arising from our legitimate interests, i.e., to establish, pursue, or defend against legal claims, to improve the quality of our customer service, for profiling, and for conducting analyses and statistics for marketing purposes and customer satisfaction surveys.

Your rights regarding the processing of personal data:

The right to withdraw consent; the right to request access to personal data; the right to request rectification of personal data; the right to request erasure of personal data; the right to request restriction of processing of personal data; the right to object to the processing of personal data; the right to data portability; and the right to lodge a complaint with the President of the Personal Data Protection Office. Detailed information on the processing of your personal data can be found in our Privacy Policy: www.benefitsystems.pl/polityka-prywatnosci.

Thank you for filling out the form!
We will be in touch soon.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the data used in the calculator come from?
The calculator is based on data from ZUS (Sick Leave 2024), Statistics Poland (Wages in the National Economy 2025), and Conperio (Sick Leave Barometer 2024) — a firm that analyzes data from over 400 enterprises in Poland. Salaries for selected industries were supplemented with Antal 2025 data. For sectors not included in the Conperio sample (IT, finance, pharmaceuticals), absenteeism rates are estimates based on European data (CIPD, ArboNed NL) — this is clearly indicated in the calculator.
How do I correctly calculate the absenteeism rate for my company?
Absenteeism rate = total number of sick leave days for all employees ÷ (number of employees × number of working days in a year) × 100%. Example: 100 employees, 1,678 sick leave days per year → 1,678 / (100 × 252) × 100% = 6.66%. Include only absences due to personal illness, excluding maternity leave — this ensures your result is comparable with Conperio benchmarks.
What does the calculated cost include?
The calculator only accounts for sick pay covered by the employer for the first 33 days of each medical leave episode (14 days for employees over 50). After that period, costs are covered by the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS). The actual total cost of absenteeism is higher — we do not include costs related to replacements, overtime, or presenteeism, as these values are difficult to estimate reliably without a company's own internal data.
What is presenteeism and how much does it cost?
Presenteeism occurs when an employee comes to work despite being ill, performing below their full capacity. Studies indicate that the costs of presenteeism can be 1.5–6× higher than the costs of absenteeism alone. An accurate measurement requires a company-specific study — which is why we intentionally do not estimate this value in the calculator; we do not want to provide a figure that we cannot honestly justify for each individual organization.
How much does Multi.Life cost for a company?
Multi.Life can be implemented in your company for as little as 5 PLN per employee per month — that’s less than the cost of a weekly coffee, yet it’s an investment that tangibly impacts the health, engagement, and absenteeism of your entire team. Exact costs depend on company size and the chosen package. Contact us, and our expert will prepare a quote tailored to your organization.
Does the calculator store my company's data?
No. The calculator runs entirely within your browser — no data is sent or saved without your consent. The only time we collect data is when you fill out the contact form.