# The relationship between psychosocial working conditions and sickness absence days among employees reporting symptoms of common mental disorders in Germany

## TL;DR

This study explores how psychosocial work conditions affect sickness absence in German employees with mental health symptoms.

## Contribution

It identifies specific work conditions linked to sickness absence among employees with common mental disorders.

## Key findings

- Influence at work reduced sickness absence days nine and 15 months later.
- Dissolution was linked to fewer sickness absence days during the follow-up period.
- Social support showed a positive association with sickness absence days in some analyses.

## Abstract

Psychosocial working conditions influence the risk for sickness absence days. These relationships can differ for employees with common mental disorders (CMDs). This study therefore investigates relationships between psychosocial working conditions and sickness absence days in employees reporting CMD symptoms.

Data of participants of a randomized controlled trial are investigated (n = 529). The Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire assessed 12 scales of working conditions at baseline. The outcomes number of sickness absence days were assessed nine and 15 months later, as well as during the follow-up period. Negative binomial regression analyses were adjusted for several factors and were conducted for imputed data and supplemented by complete case analyses.

Influence at work was associated with lower risks of sickness absence days nine (RR= -0.009, CI= − 0.018; − 0.001) and 15 months later (RR= − 0.008, CI= − 0.015; 0.000). Dissolution (i.e., reporting to work outside of work hours or being available for colleagues during free time) was associated with lower risks of sickness absence days during the follow-up period. Complete case analyses showed positive associations between social support and sickness absence days nine (RR = 0.01, CI = 0.0; 0.02; n = 377) and 15 months later (RR = 0.01, CI = 0.0; 0.03; n = 320).

Among employees reporting symptoms of CMDs, influence at work and dissolution predicted sickness absence days for different time periods. However, many psychosocial working conditions showed no such relevance, indicating that other factors may be more relevant in regard of sickness absence days among this particular group of employees.

The randomized controlled trial was registered at the German Clinical Trial Register on 01.03.2021 (DRKS00023049; https://drks.de/search/en/trial/DRKS00023049).

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00420-026-02205-7.