Sick leave is costly for SMEs
(09.09.2026) Employee absences are becoming an increasingly important economic issue for Swiss companies. More than two in five SMEs (42%) report increased costs associated with sick leave over the past five years, according to AXA’s 2026 study on the SME labor market.
Employee mental health is one of the main challenges. More than a third (35%) of SMEs say they are moderately or significantly affected by employees’ mental health absences in 2026, compared with 25% in 2023. Management culture plays a decisive role in reported sick leave rates. Companies that prioritize individual responsibility and employee autonomy report fewer absences for mental health reasons (27%) than SMEs that do not place these principles at the heart of their management approach (43%). Among larger companies employing between 50 and 250 people, 62% report an increase in costs associated with these absences over the past five years.
Nearly one company in two (46%) believes that personal circumstances are the main cause of mental stress at work, while 36% cite a heavy workload. Tensions within teams or with management, as well as a lack of recognition, are also mentioned. Here again, management style influences the results: 41% of SMEs that emphasize employee freedom and autonomy cite workload as the main source of mental stress, compared with 32% of SMEs that do not follow this type of management approach.
Two-thirds (66%) of companies consider employee mental health to be the responsibility of management. Preventive measures are becoming less widespread, however. Since 2023, the proportion of SMEs with an “open feedback culture” has fallen from 35% to 28%. A quarter of companies say they have no specific measures in place to minimize absences related to mental health.