Mental Health-Related Absences in Public Administration

Mental health-related absences are also a relevant issue in the public sector — from federal offices to municipal administrations.

While there are fewer sector-specific studies available, the overall data shows that no sector is immune: in 2022, all industries recorded an increase in sick days, including public administration. Working conditions in the public sector — such as high pressure to serve the public, restructuring efforts, or budget constraints — can contribute to stress and burnout. Workplace conflicts, such as bullying or interpersonal tensions, pose particular risks. These can escalate late in hierarchical institutions, where issues are often left unresolved for too long.

One study found that 57% of long-term mental health-related sick leave cases in companies can be traced back to unresolved conflicts or perceived slights in the workplace.

In administrative settings, where job turnover is low and employment relationships tend to be more stable, there is a risk that latent conflicts build up over time. When mental health-related leave does occur, absences in the public sector often last longer — similar patterns have been observed in large corporations, where an individual's absence has less immediate operational impact and social accountability may be lower.

Large organizations (≥250 employees) — including many public institutions — tend to report longer average absence durations for mental illnesses.

On the positive side, public service employers are increasingly investing in prevention. Many have internal support services (e.g. social workers) and offer training for managers to recognize early signs of strain. Moreover, Swiss labor law obliges all employers — including public administrations — to take necessary measures to protect the mental health of their staff.

In practice, this means:

• Reviewing workload and scheduling

• Holding regular staff check-ins

• Addressing problematic situations promptly

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Administrations that implement structured absence management and intervene early can reduce sick leave durations and help maintain their teams' capacity to work.

While concrete cost indicators for public administration are limited, the financial impact is expected to mirror that of other sectors — typically 100% of salary costs plus around 250% in indirect costs per long-term absence.

A single long-term burnout-related absence in public administration can therefore easily result in a mid five-figure economic loss when factoring in lost productivity and replacement costs.

Sources: handelszeitung.ch, spectra-online.ch, edi.admin.ch