Calculate and understand your employee absence rate

An employee absence calculator is a tool designed to help businesses measure the rate of employee absences over a specific period.

By inputting key data, such as the total number of employees, the total available working days, and the number of days lost to absence, the calculator generates your absence rate.

This insight helps you identify trends and assess the impact of absenteeism on your organisation.

You can manually calculate your absence rate with the formula below, or by using our absence rate calculator tool.

Absence Rate (%) = (Total Available Working Days / Total Days Absent​) × 100

Employee absence increases company costs through lost productivity, higher overtime or temporary staffing expenses, and administrative burdens.

It can also disrupt workflows, delay project timelines, and strain team morale, leading to burnout and higher turnover.

Understanding your absence rate helps you identify these challenges and take proactive steps to manage absenteeism effectively.

Using absence management software reduces costs by providing real-time tracking, automating compliance reporting, and enabling better workforce planning. With accurate, data-driven insights, you can quickly identify absence patterns and address issues proactively.

Additionally, predictive analytics allow you to plan for peak times effectively, minimising the need for expensive last-minute staffing adjustments.

A good absence rate typically falls between 2% and 5%, though it can vary depending on the industry and company size.

A rate below 2% may indicate excellent attendance, while anything above 5% could signal underlying issues such as employee burnout, poor morale, or health concerns.

It's important to track your own company’s trends and compare them with industry standards to assess what constitutes a "good" absence rate for your organisation.