The employees of our post office are so sick

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Swiss Post announced a consolidated profit of 295 million francs this week. The conclusion of the group management: “Swiss Post is suitable even for a very challenging environment.”

Unfortunately, the 46,500 people who achieved this result are significantly less fit. The annual report contains a thought-provoking figure: Swiss Post employees were absent from work for an average of 15.8 days for medical reasons last year.

That’s a sad peak: in 2010, the yellow giant counted 10.5 days of medical absences per employee, 12.4 days of absenteeism in 2015, and an average of 14 days of absences from state-owned companies in 2021. So more than three work weeks in 2022 – a 13 percent increase in a year.

The unions explain this with longer and more flexible working days: “This is causing more and more stress and pressure, especially for delivery people, but also at letter and parcel centres,” says Matteo Antonini, Head of Logistics at Syndicom.

Post-President Christian Levrat (52) is also concerned about the increase in absenteeism. However, Levrat, a once-unionist himself, doesn’t think Syndicom’s statement is too definitive – especially since business volumes in sorting centers and the delivery area have actually dropped over the past year. In an interview with SonntagsBlick, Levrat explains that the most common causes of absenteeism are musculoskeletal problems and mental illness. There is an increase in long absences and correspondingly short absences: “We see this trend for the entire Swiss Post and compared to other companies.”

The former SP Chairman cannot say for certain what the reasons were. However, initial analyzes revealed the following correlations: “Demographic developments – our workforce is aging. Illnesses after Corona hygiene measures are lifted. And he’s also worried about what’s going on in the world.”

In other words: Levrat sees the increase not as a specific postal problem, but primarily as a result of developments in society as a whole.

A health study published in the fall of 2022 by health insurance company CSS seems to agree with Post leadership. The study diagnoses “an alarming deterioration in the general health status of the Swiss population” – the result is more sick days.

However, losses at the post office are extremely high, even when compared to the rest of Switzerland. According to the Federal Statistical Office, the annual absenteeism per job in 2021 was 7.5 days. For “service professions and marketers,” it was 9.9 days. The longest absenteeism due to illness or accident occurred in “unskilled workers” with 13.1 days. Swiss Post also exceeds this value.

The trade unionist Antonini’s demand is therefore clear: “The post office must provide a healthy working environment.”

Its chairman emphasizes that the first measures, such as special training for managers or measures in the field of reintegration, have already been taken.

Levrat promises: “We take development very seriously.”

Source :Blick