Indirect Costs Arising From COVID-19-Related Work Absenteeism From October 2020 to July 2022: A Retrospective Study From Central Greece

Background and objective The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in significant indirect costs due to the implementation of safety measures and work absenteeism in various sectors of the economy, thereby impacting productivity. This study aimed to examine the indirect costs of the recent pandemic in Thessalia, Central Greece, from October 2020 to July 2022. Methods This retrospective study focused on retail employees aged 20-70 years with absenteeism of 5-45 days. Indirect costs were assessed using administrative wage and leave data. Results During the study period, 1,400 employees were on sick leave: 971 women (69.36%) with a mean age of 44.4 ±9.67 years and 429 men (30.64%) with a mean age of 39.85 ±11.53 years. The study sample included 311 individuals with confirmed COVID-19. Workforce reduction averaged 2.65 workers per month, with estimated costs of €9,948.50 for employers and €90,214.58 for the National Social Security Institution. Conclusions These findings highlight substantial increases in labor costs incurred due to work absenteeism caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Future research should explore clinical, demographic, and societal factors influencing COVID-19-related productivity losses, which would help inform strategic resource allocation policies.