Sickness Absence Rate Calculator
.sar-calculator-wrapper {
font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;
max-width: 800px;
margin: 20px auto;
padding: 20px;
background-color: #f9f9f9;
border: 1px solid #e0e0e0;
border-radius: 8px;
box-shadow: 0 4px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.05);
}
.sar-calculator-header {
text-align: center;
margin-bottom: 25px;
}
.sar-calculator-header h2 {
color: #2c3e50;
margin: 0;
font-size: 24px;
}
.sar-input-grid {
display: grid;
grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr;
gap: 20px;
}
.sar-input-group {
margin-bottom: 15px;
}
.sar-input-group label {
display: block;
margin-bottom: 8px;
font-weight: 600;
color: #4a5568;
font-size: 14px;
}
.sar-input-group input {
width: 100%;
padding: 12px;
border: 1px solid #cbd5e0;
border-radius: 6px;
font-size: 16px;
transition: border-color 0.2s;
box-sizing: border-box;
}
.sar-input-group input:focus {
border-color: #3182ce;
outline: none;
box-shadow: 0 0 0 3px rgba(49, 130, 206, 0.1);
}
.sar-btn-container {
text-align: center;
margin-top: 20px;
grid-column: 1 / -1;
}
.sar-calc-btn {
background-color: #2b6cb0;
color: white;
border: none;
padding: 14px 28px;
font-size: 16px;
font-weight: bold;
border-radius: 6px;
cursor: pointer;
transition: background-color 0.2s;
width: 100%;
}
.sar-calc-btn:hover {
background-color: #2c5282;
}
.sar-results {
margin-top: 30px;
background-color: white;
padding: 25px;
border-radius: 8px;
border-left: 5px solid #2b6cb0;
display: none;
}
.sar-result-row {
display: flex;
justify-content: space-between;
align-items: center;
padding: 10px 0;
border-bottom: 1px solid #eee;
}
.sar-result-row:last-child {
border-bottom: none;
}
.sar-result-label {
color: #718096;
font-size: 15px;
}
.sar-result-value {
font-weight: 700;
color: #2d3748;
font-size: 18px;
}
.sar-highlight {
font-size: 24px;
color: #2b6cb0;
}
.sar-article {
max-width: 800px;
margin: 40px auto;
line-height: 1.6;
color: #333;
font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;
}
.sar-article h2 {
color: #2c3e50;
margin-top: 30px;
border-bottom: 2px solid #eee;
padding-bottom: 10px;
}
.sar-article h3 {
color: #4a5568;
margin-top: 20px;
}
.sar-article p {
margin-bottom: 15px;
}
.sar-article ul {
margin-bottom: 15px;
padding-left: 20px;
}
.sar-article li {
margin-bottom: 8px;
}
.sar-note {
font-size: 12px;
color: #718096;
margin-top: 5px;
}
@media (max-width: 600px) {
.sar-input-grid {
grid-template-columns: 1fr;
}
}
Sickness Absence Rate (Lost Time Rate):
0.00%
Total Potential Work Days:
0
Days Lost per Employee:
0
Estimated Financial Cost:
$0.00
function calculateAbsenceRate() {
// Get input values
var sickDaysInput = document.getElementById('totalSickDays').value;
var employeesInput = document.getElementById('avgEmployees').value;
var workDaysInput = document.getElementById('workDaysInPeriod').value;
var dailyCostInput = document.getElementById('avgDailyCost').value;
// Parse values
var sickDays = parseFloat(sickDaysInput);
var employees = parseFloat(employeesInput);
var workDays = parseFloat(workDaysInput);
var dailyCost = parseFloat(dailyCostInput) || 0; // Default to 0 if empty
// Validation
if (isNaN(sickDays) || isNaN(employees) || isNaN(workDays) || employees <= 0 || workDays <= 0) {
alert("Please enter valid positive numbers for Sick Days, Employees, and Workable Days.");
return;
}
// Calculations
// 1. Total Potential Work Days = Employees * Workable Days in Period
var totalPotentialDays = employees * workDays;
// 2. Absence Rate = (Total Sick Days / Total Potential Days) * 100
var absenceRate = (sickDays / totalPotentialDays) * 100;
// 3. Days Lost Per Employee
var daysPerEmployee = sickDays / employees;
// 4. Financial Cost
var totalCost = sickDays * dailyCost;
// Update UI
document.getElementById('resultRate').innerHTML = absenceRate.toFixed(2) + "%";
document.getElementById('resultPotentialDays').innerHTML = totalPotentialDays.toLocaleString();
document.getElementById('resultDaysPerEmp').innerHTML = daysPerEmployee.toFixed(2);
// Format currency
var formattedCost = new Intl.NumberFormat('en-US', { style: 'currency', currency: 'USD' }).format(totalCost);
document.getElementById('resultCost').innerHTML = formattedCost;
// Show results
document.getElementById('sarResults').style.display = 'block';
}
Understanding Sickness Absence Rate
The Sickness Absence Rate (often referred to as the "Lost Time Rate") is a critical Human Resources metric used to measure the percentage of working time lost due to employee sickness. It helps organizations benchmark their performance against industry standards, identify trends in workforce health, and calculate the financial impact of absenteeism.
How to Calculate Sickness Absence Rate
The standard formula used by most HR departments and government bodies (such as the UK ONS or US BLS) involves comparing the time lost to the total time available. The formula is:
(Total Days Lost to Sickness / Total Potential Working Days) × 100
To use this formula, you need three key data points:
- Total Days Lost: The sum of all days absent due to sickness across all employees in the specific period.
- Average Number of Employees: The headcount during the period.
- Workable Days: The number of days an employee is expected to work in that period (e.g., roughly 253 days for a full year excluding weekends and public holidays).
Example Calculation
Imagine a company with 50 employees. Over the course of a year (assuming 253 working days per year), the company recorded a total of 200 sick days.
- Total Potential Work Days = 50 employees × 253 days = 12,650 days.
- Calculation = (200 / 12,650) × 100.
- Result = 1.58% Absence Rate.
Why This Metric Matters
High absence rates can indicate underlying issues such as poor workplace morale, burnout, stress, or health and safety problems. By tracking this rate, HR managers can:
- Estimate Costs: Absenteeism costs money not just in sick pay, but in lost productivity, overtime for replacement staff, and administrative overhead.
- Identify Trends: Is sickness higher in specific departments? Is it seasonal?
- Trigger Interventions: If the rate exceeds industry benchmarks (which typically range between 1.5% and 3.5% depending on the sector), it may trigger wellness programs or return-to-work interviews.
Reducing Sickness Absence
To improve your sickness absence rate, consider implementing flexible working arrangements, improving office hygiene, offering mental health support, and conducting return-to-work interviews to understand the root causes of absence.