What sick Employees really cost companies in Canada and the U.S. (and how to fix It)
We’ve all seen it. Someone shows up to work exhausted, stressed, maybe even sick. They’re in the office, but not really getting much done.
Now multiply that across a whole team.
That’s what businesses are facing every day and it costs far more than most leaders realize.
This mix of absenteeism (the sick days you can see) and presenteeism (the underperformance you often miss) is draining Canadian and U.S. companies of billions each year. And the truth is: these aren’t just health problems, they’re also business problems.
The hidden costs of presenteeism
While absenteeism is visible and easier to track, presenteeism has an even larger financial impact. Employees might be physically present but mentally drained, distracted by stress, fatigue, or health issues.
Research shows presenteeism can cost 2–3 times more than absenteeism (Conference Board of Canada report).
Cost breakdown by company size
Small Businesses (10–50 employees): At an estimated $1,500–$2,000 lost per employee annually, this adds up to $30,000–$100,000 in losses (MyHealthCheckUp Canada, Kaiser Permanente).
Mid-Sized Companies (50–250 employees): These losses scale into hundreds of thousands yearly, even for common health issues like fatigue and stress.
Large Corporations (250+ employees): Presenteeism alone can cost an organization $5,000+ per employee annually, adding up to millions in lost productivity (Premise Health summary, ResearchGate study).
Canada vs. the U.S.: recent stats
🇨🇦 Canada:
Stress and health-related absence cost employers $53.9 billion annually in lost productivity (Manulife, 2023).
Absenteeism alone averages about $1,600 per employee per year — roughly 2.4% of payroll (MyHealthCheckUp Canada).
Combined absences and presenteeism cost Canadian employers nearly $645 million per year (Benefits Canada report).
🇺🇸 United States:
Poor employee health costs businesses over $530 billion every year (IBI report).
That equals nearly $2,945 per employee annually in lost productivity (Kaiser Permanente).
Presenteeism is often the largest share of the loss (HR Grapevine / Harvard Business Review, 2025).
Why this is a business problem, not just a health problem
When employees are unwell, it’s not just about more sick days. It’s about:
Distraction in meetings
Lower creativity and focus
Missed deadlines
Decreased morale
Higher turnover
The impact is felt in revenue, culture, and growth.
That’s why employee wellness isn’t a perk but it’s a performance strategy.
These drains are preventable
Many of the root causes behind absenteeism and presenteeism are addressable with targeted strategies:
✨ Stress management → lowering the toll of chronic stress and burnout.
✨ Digestive health + nutrition → reducing fatigue, brain fog, and inflammation.
✨ Cellular health education → helping employees understand how energy, hydration, and recovery really work.
When businesses invest here, the ROI shows up fast: fewer sick days, higher engagement, sharper focus, and teams that bring their best energy to work.
Turning losses into ROI
The math is simple: healthier employees are more productive employees.
But the impact goes beyond numbers.
When people feel well, they bring more focus, more energy, and more creativity to their work. They collaborate better. They take fewer sick days. And instead of running on fumes, they’re able to show up fully for both the business and themselves.
That’s why investing in employee health isn’t a perk , it’s a performance strategy.
This is exactly what I help companies achieve through my corporate wellness programs: reducing stress, cutting down absenteeism, and helping teams work at their best.
If you’re ready to see how employee health can become your company’s competitive edge, let’s connect.
