€501 million a year. That is the average cost of sick leave in Croatia (source: EYS, 2023, “Benefits and Costs of Expenditure on Sports Activities in Croatia and Their Tax Treatment – Study Summary,” p. 5). Between 2011 and 2021, employers spent approximately €322 million annually on sick leave. Behind this figure are not only the costs of salary compensation, but also lost working hours, additional pressure on teams, and reduced productivity.
But we can also look at this figure from a different perspective. If we know how much illness costs us, the question is no longer simply how to reduce the cost of sick leave, but how to invest in employee health before sick leave occurs in the first place.
This is where prevention becomes a business issue. Because healthier employees are not just more satisfied employees – they are an important part of stable, productive, and sustainable business operations in the long term.
Sick Leave Is More Than a Compensation Cost
When an employee is absent from work, the cost to the employer goes beyond salary compensation. The absence of one person often means that their responsibilities have to be taken on by colleagues, priorities have to be reshuffled, or deadlines have to be pushed back. The smaller the team and the more specialized the work, the more pronounced the impact of a single absence can be.
The scale of the issue is also reflected in the fact that, between 2000 and 2021, an average of 50,980 employees were on sick leave each day in Croatia (source: EYS, 2023, “Benefits and Costs of Expenditure on Sports Activities in Croatia and Their Tax Treatment – Study Summary,” p. 5). Behind this number are thousands of working hours that Croatian organizations lose every single day.
That is why sick leave is important to look at from a broader perspective – not simply as a cost issue, but also as a question of business continuity, productivity, and the workload placed on employees who remain at work.
Prevention Is Part of the Solution
If we want to reduce the long-term health burden and employee absences, it is not enough to act only when a problem arises. An important part of the solution lies in prevention – creating conditions that make it easier for people to take care of their health.
There is also a very concrete reason for this. 58% of adults in Croatia are overweight or obese, while only 14% of adults exercise more than three times a week. Compared with the EU average, where these figures are 51% and 31% respectively, it is clear that there is room for healthier lifestyle changes (source: OECD, EU Country Cancer Profile: Croatia 2025, European Observatory / OECD, Country Health Profile 2025 – Croatia).
This is not just a matter of individual health. Unhealthy lifestyle habits are associated with an increased risk of numerous chronic and non-communicable diseases, which account for a significant share of the health and economic burden on society.
This gives employers an opportunity to make a difference where people spend a large part of their day – at the workplace. Encouraging physical activity can be a simple yet tangible step. Making sport and physical activity more accessible to employees, for example through benefits such as MultiSport, means removing some of the barriers that often stand between the intention to be active and actually getting active.
From Employee Benefit to Business Investment
Investing in employee health does not have to mean implementing large or complex programs. It can start with practical steps such as enabling access to physical activity, preventive health screenings, education on healthy habits, an ergonomic workplace, or accessible mental health support.
What matters is changing the perspective. These initiatives are not simply additional benefits that help a company attract and retain employees. They can be part of a broader strategy for managing people and business risks.
When we make it easier for employees to take care of their health, we create better conditions for maintaining their ability to work over the long term. And that creates value for both employees and employers.
Because the return on investment in health is not measured only by the number of sick days prevented. It is also reflected in productivity, business continuity, employee engagement, and a company’s ability to retain talented people over the long term.
Health Pays Off
Croatia is currently paying a high price for illness and employee absences. But the €501 million annual cost of sick leave should not be just a figure that we recalculate year after year. It can be an opportunity to ask ourselves what we can do differently.
Investing in employee health is not a guarantee that sick leave will disappear. It is an investment in reducing health risks, maintaining employees’ ability to work, and creating conditions in which people can thrive over the long term – both at work and beyond.
If illness comes at a cost, health pays off. That is why employee health and well-being should be part of every business strategy.