Discover in which communities the most hours of work are lost

One and a half million people do not go to work every day. This has been determined by a study by the Civismo Foundation, which estimates that approximately 1.2 million correspond to temporary disability processes, linked to a common illness or accident.

The effect of these figures on the economy exceeds 3% of GDP—that is, more than 45,000 million euros—and represents the loss of 7% of agreed hours in the labor market, consolidating itself as “a massive phenomenon, with profound economic and social repercussions,” according to the organization.

We are talking about an amount that, according to the report, vastly exceeds public spending on universitieswhich represents 1.2% of GDP, or in R&D, which stands at 1.4; and quadruples the resources allocated to active employment policies, barely 0.2%.

The communities with the most and least work absenteeism

The contrasts between the autonomous communities in work absenteeism rates in Spain reflect structural factors, differences in the sectoral composition and in the sociodemographic profile of the employed population.

In this context, according to data from the first quarter of 2025, the highest rates of absenteeism from work were recorded in the Basque Country and the Canary Islands, with 9.1%, followed by Cantabria with 8.7%, well above the national average of 7.0%. At the other extreme, the Balearic Islands (5.6%), Madrid (6.2%) and Andalusia (6.4%) present the lowest levels. But what do these figures mean?

According to the National Institute of Statistics (INE), through the Quarterly Labor Cost Survey (ETCL), communities with a high weight of industry, such as the Basque Country, Navarra or Asturias, or those with a strong public services component—health, education and administration— They tend to have higher absenteeism rates.

On the contrary, regions with labor markets oriented to hospitality, tourism and private servicessuch as the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands or the Valencian Community, show comparatively lower levels.

The nature of absenteeism from work

To delve deeper into the nature of work absenteeism linked to medical leave, we must look at Social Security data on temporary disability (IT) processes, which show that, in 2023, communities such as Galicia, Asturias and the Basque Country presented an average duration of IT processes higher than the national average, which explains its greater contribution to the days lost. Madrid and the Balearic Islands, on the other hand, stand out for shorter sick leave episodes, which reduces their aggregate impact on absenteeism.

The National Institute of Safety and Health at Work (INSST) also aims to workplace accidents and exposure to professional risks as determining factors.

For this reason, communities with a strong presence of industrial and extractive sectors, such as Asturias or the Basque Country, show a higher incidence of IT derived from work accidents and occupational diseases. For their part, territories more oriented to sprivate services, such as Madrid or the Balearic Islandsregister lower levels of absenteeism associated with physical risks.