Targeted measures could reduce sick leave in elderly care

Targeted measures to improve well-being and the working environment in Denmark’s elderly care sector could help prevent and reduce sick leave while also contributing to efforts to address recruitment challenges, according to a new report.

Working in elderly care places particular demands on the working environment, professional skills and relationships between employees and residents. When working conditions come under pressure, one consequence can be higher levels of sick leave.

According to the report, Denmark’s social and healthcare workers averaged 18.5 sick days per year in 2024, compared with 9.7 days across the Danish labour market as a whole.

The Danish Health Authority has compiled experiences and results from seven projects carried out at nursing homes and in home care services between 2022 and 2025. The projects aimed to reduce sick leave through targeted initiatives focusing on well-being, cooperation and the working environment.

The results varied between the projects. Several recorded reductions in short-term, long-term and overall sick leave.

Employees and managers also reported that the initiatives had contributed to improved well-being, better cooperation and greater resilience in their daily work. Several also highlighted the importance of clearer professional direction and working structures for job satisfaction.

The initiatives included skills development, closer cooperation across professional groups and new ways of organising work. Several projects focused on strengthening professional communities and improving day-to-day planning. Two municipalities, for example, worked specifically on introducing smaller permanent teams.

Minister for Children, the Elderly and Housing Jacob Mark said staff shortages would be one of the biggest challenges facing elderly care in the coming years.

“The government therefore wants to use a long-term recruitment plan to help ensure that more people choose to work in elderly care and that more remain in the profession. Good workplaces with high levels of well-being and a good working environment are crucial, which makes the experiences from this report both relevant and valuable,” Mark said.

“There is no single solution to the recruitment challenge in elderly care. But the experiences show that strong professional communities and trust in employees’ professional expertise make a difference.”

According to the minister, the positive experiences with smaller permanent teams could both provide greater continuity for elderly residents and improve staff well-being.

Recruitment remains a significant challenge for the sector. A 2025 report on elderly care showed that 12 per cent of vacancies for social and healthcare assistants and 15 per cent of vacancies for social and healthcare helpers went unfilled in 2024.

At the same time, a November 2025 report from the public-sector statistics committee estimated that Denmark could face a shortage of almost 24,000 social and healthcare workers by 2035 compared with 2023 if current trends continue.