Mittelstand: Mitarbeitergesundheit: Was Unternehmen gegen steigende Fehlzeiten tun können
Fehlzeiten und krankheitsbedingte Ausfälle werden für kleine und mittlere Unternehmen zum wirtschaftlichen Risiko. Mit betrieblichen Gesundheitsprogrammen lässt sich gegensteuern.
In Hamburg, i3 Membrane discovered during a 2020 workshop that their employees sought a stronger emphasis on work-life balance for the future. Kathrin Hahn, the Chief Marketing Officer at this Hamburg-based medical device manufacturer, observed a common desire among German Mittelstand firms for improved health and vitality amid increasing workloads, digitalization, and health consciousness.
Recent statistics reveal a concerning trend: German employees took an average of 14.6 sick days in 2025, a 4.6-day increase from a decade earlier. These lost workdays equate to over five percent of productive time wasted across the economy. Small and medium-sized enterprises, where tasks are often handled by a single individual, are particularly vulnerable to these productivity losses.
According to a Barmer insurance survey of 550 Mittelstand decision-makers, 94 percent believe employee health is crucial for business success—prioritizing health ahead of corporate culture, innovation, and digital transformation.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
