Work absenteeism in Catalonia reaches €18.092 billion annually, and in Baix Llobregat and L'Hospitalet, the impact is estimated at nearly €1.8 billion, according to a report by Umivale Activa and Ivie.
Every day, an average of 207,000 Catalan workers do not attend their workplace due to temporary incapacity. During 2024, this situation resulted in the loss of 22 working days per employee and an estimated cost of €18.092 billion, equivalent to 6% of Catalonia's GDP, according to a report by Umivale Activa and the Valencian Institute of Economic Research (Ivie) presented this Tuesday.
Baix Llobregat and L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, as two of the main economic engines of the region, are not immune to this reality. Extrapolating the Catalan data to the number of workers in both territories, the cost of absenteeism could reach nearly €1.8 billion annually. The estimate is based on the weight of employment they concentrate: around 483,000 workers in total.
The Baix Llobregat region has 364,540 affiliates to Social Security and more than 20,800 companies, with a diversified economy that includes industry, automotive, logistics, advanced services, and activities linked to Barcelona-El Prat Airport. Meanwhile, L'Hospitalet, the second most populated city in Catalonia, concentrates about 118,000 jobs, driven by the service sector, commerce, healthcare activities, and large economic spaces like Plaza Europa and Fira Barcelona.
The report, prepared by Umivale Activa and Ivie, emphasizes that work absenteeism not only affects productivity but also generates a significant extra cost for companies and the public system. The data shows that, on average, each Catalan worker loses 22 days a year due to medical leave, a figure that places Catalonia among the communities with the highest absenteeism rates in Spain.
From a local perspective, both Baix Llobregat and L'Hospitalet are key areas in the metropolitan productive framework. The concentration of companies and employment in these areas makes the impact of absenteeism particularly relevant. Experts point out that occupational risk prevention and labour health policies are fundamental tools to reduce these figures.
The study does not detail specific measures but highlights the need to address the causes of absences, such as work-related stress, musculoskeletal disorders, and common illnesses. In a context of economic recovery, reducing absenteeism presents a priority challenge to improve competitiveness.
For workers and companies in L'Hospitalet and Baix Llobregat, these figures serve as a reminder of the importance of maintaining healthy work environments. Local administrations and social agents face the challenge of promoting initiatives that contribute to reducing absenteeism and its associated costs.
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