Absenteeism drops to 5.5 days per worker

The rate of absenteeism in Irish workplaces has dropped during the economic crisis.

A new survey from business group IBEC shows that it has fallen by two days per year in the last decade.

Absenteeism now stands at 2.35%, the equivalent of 5.5 days per year for each worker.

IBEC's Maeve McElwee said that despite the drop, absenteeism is still a problem for Irish employers.

"There has been an intense focus on managing absence pro-actively and most employers see it as a significant direct cost and this has led to them managing absence in a much more strategic way," she said.