What is the main factor that reduces absences due to mental stress?

According to the AXA study, the most significant factor is the type of business leadership. Among companies that promote personal freedom and responsibility, 27% face absences due to mental stress, while in companies that do not adopt this approach the percentage rises to 43%. The 16-point difference suggests that mindful leadership functions as a 'psychological buffer', reducing staff mental discomfort.

What preventive measures are rarer in Swiss SMEs?

Concrete measures are surprisingly rare. The training of superiors is implemented by only 11% of SMEs, while the promotion of physical health (nutrition and exercise) is adopted by 14%. Even more serious: 25% of SMEs do not have any specific measures to prevent absences due to mental health problems.

Who conducted the study and what were the objectives?

The study was carried out by the Sotomo research institute on behalf of the AXA insurance group. It is titled 'SME Labour Market Study' and interviewed several Swiss small and medium-sized enterprises to analyse the impact of absences and mental wellbeing in their work environments. Data were also collected by comparing 2023 to 2026.

Staff absences cost more to SMEs, AXA study (cross-border guide)

Di Redazione Frontaliere Ticino · Published on 20 August 2026

Aerial view of modern Swiss city with business district and office buildings, active professional atmosphere

An AXA study reveals that 42% of Swiss SMEs have been affected by absences in the last five years. Psychic stress has been on the rise since 2023.

Context

In a nutshell

42% of SMEs affected by absences in the last 5 years
Psychic stress more than doubled: 25% in 2023, 35% in 2026
Careful leadership reduces psychic absences by 37%

Key facts

What: AXA study on the impact of absences in Swiss SMEs
When: Last 5 years (2026 data compared to 2023)
Where: Swiss small and medium-sized enterprises
Who: AXA insurance group, Sotomo research institute
Attacks: 62% companies with 50-250 employees
Gap: 66% know leadership matters, 28% apply open feedback

The AXA Study: Disturbing Numbers

A study carried out by the Sotomo research institute on behalf of the AXA insurance group photographs a critical situation in the Swiss labour market, at least with regard to small and medium-sized enterprises. 42% of SMEs have been affected by staff absences in the last five years. A figure that for the most structured companies is even more serious: 62% of companies with 50-250 employees have been affected by the same problem.

But the real alarm emerges from the front of psychic stress. In 2023, 25% of the companies surveyed faced absences due to the mental state of their staff. In 2026, this percentage rose to 35%: an increase of 10 points in three years that highlights a worrying trend. These are not just ordinary illnesses: mental health issues are becoming a structural challenge for Swiss organisations.

The role of

Operational details

The paradox: awareness without action

However, a disturbing paradox emerges from the study. Despite knowing that leadership is crucial (66% support it), Swiss SMEs are not increasing the active implementation of prevention measures. In fact, the trend is the opposite.

From 2023 to 2026, the percentage of companies targeting an open feedback culture dropped from 35% to 28%. It is not a stalemate: it is a real setback. In the same period, the promotion of physical health through nutrition and exercise remains at a very low level: just 14% of SMEs in 2026. The training of superiors recorded an even more disappointing result: 11%.

In essence, the picture that emerges is as follows: SMEs recognize the problem (35% manage absences due to mental stress), they know what the solution could be (committed executives, systematic feedback, emotional support), but they do not put it into practice. A quarter of SMEs surveyed (25%) do not take any specific measures to prevent absences due to mental health problems. It is an alarming sign of misalignment between intentions and behaviors.

What's missing: the implications for SMEs

This gap between awareness and action has concrete consequences. In Switzerland, where the SME labour market is a pillar of the national economy, the absence of preventive measures translates into rising costs. In addition to employee discomfort, absences

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Key points

How to act: concrete lines for SMEs

For Swiss small and medium-sized enterprises that want to tackle this problem, the study offers at least three concrete starting points.

First, assess the current status. If 35% of SMEs face absences due to mental stress, it is likely that many have not yet measured the phenomenon systematically. A simple tracking of absences by reason (ordinary, psychic, unspecified) provides the basic data. Many HR management software today offer this functionality and represent the first step out of improvisation.

Second, invest in executive training. 11% of SMEs do: this is a low figure that suggests an underutilised opportunity. Even short courses on stress management and empathic communication can help create that 'psychological cushion' that the study talks about. Executives are the main drivers of a more resilient corporate culture.

Third, implement an open feedback system. 28% of SMEs have chosen this path, but the percentage drops compared to 2023 (it was 35%). Regular, even informal, feedback allows employees to feel heard and communicate difficulties before they become mental health crises. It does not require complicated structures: discipline and consistency are often enough.

Available resources and support

Those who manage an SME in Switzerland can rely on public and private resources to

Discover Ticino job offers updated daily: 4,000+ positions from Swiss companies hiring cross-border workers.

Source: swissinfo.ch

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main factor that reduces absences due to mental stress?: According to the AXA study, the most significant factor is the type of business leadership. Among companies that promote personal freedom and responsibility, 27% face absences due to mental stress, while in companies that do not adopt this approach the percentage rises to 43%. The 16-point difference suggests that mindful leadership functions as a 'psychological buffer', reducing staff mental discomfort.
How has the phenomenon of psychic stress changed between 2023 and 2026?: Psychic stress has more than doubled. In 2023, 25% of the SMEs surveyed managed absences attributable to the mental state of staff. In 2026, this percentage rose to 35%, an increase of 10 points in three years. This trend is alarming and suggests that the problem is getting worse, not better, in the Swiss labour market.
What preventive measures are rarer in Swiss SMEs?: Concrete measures are surprisingly rare. The training of superiors is implemented by only 11% of SMEs, while the promotion of physical health (nutrition and exercise) is adopted by 14%. Even more serious: 25% of SMEs do not have any specific measures to prevent absences due to mental health problems.
Who conducted the study and what were the objectives?: The study was carried out by the Sotomo research institute on behalf of the AXA insurance group. It is titled 'SME Labour Market Study' and interviewed several Swiss small and medium-sized enterprises to analyse the impact of absences and mental wellbeing in their work environments. Data were also collected by comparing 2023 to 2026.
How many SMEs have been affected by absences in the last five years?: 42% of SMEs have been affected by absences in the last five years. The figure is even more serious for the most structured companies: 62% of companies with 50-250 employees were affected by absences. This suggests that the problem grows with the business dimension.