Since 2019, Axa France has provided insights into workplace trends through its Datascope, an analysis based on 400 million anonymized monthly data points from its corporate client portfolio, representing 3 million private-sector employees in France. According to its latest findings, the absenteeism rate reached a record 4.76% in 2025, up 5% year-on-year. It is now 50% higher than in 2019, prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.

This rate follows a worrying upward trajectory, with no signals yet suggesting a plateau.

Management-level employees are among the groups experiencing the sharpest shift. Absenteeism in this category rose by 8%, following a 9% increase in 2024. Notably, for the first time, the average duration of sick leave is higher among managers.

As for employees under 30, the majority of their leaves (57%) last less than 3 days, though the frequency of leave is very high: nearly 105 leaves per 100 employees under 30 in 2025, across all durations. The growth in this frequency is particularly dynamic (+10%) for this age group, both for very short-term leave (1 to 3 days) and very long-term leave (over 6 months).

Deteriorating mental health: a new reality for the workforce

Furthermore, mental health continues to decline across all demographics, with a notable increase in long-term leave (over 2 months) linked to psychological disorders.

These disorders have solidified their status as the leading cause of long-term work absences. In 2025, for the first time, more than half of long-term leaves among employees under 30 are due to psychological issues. The average age for the onset of psychological disorders leading to a work absence of more than 2 months has now fallen below the 40-year threshold.

This latest edition of the Axa France Datascope ultimately highlights a convergence in behavior between populations historically less affected by absenteeism (managers and young people) and those traditionally more impacted.

"The health crisis has left a lasting mark on absenteeism, which has now reached unprecedented levels. All categories of employees are affected, particularly the younger generation. These trends underscore the importance of working on concrete awareness and prevention measures to protect work collectives and ensure the long-term viability of companies in the face of this continuous rise in absenteeism," explained Diane Milleron-Deperrois, CEO of Axa Santé & Collectives.