Analysis by WIdO: Long-distance commuting puts a strain on the psyche

26.03.2018 13:37

The greater the distance between home and work, the greater the likelihood of mental illness among commuters. This is the result of an absenteeism analysis by the AOK Scientific Institute (WIdO). The number of days missed due to mental illness is 15 percent higher among employees who commute at least 500 kilometers to work than among those who have to travel a maximum of ten kilometers.

“Long journeys to work place a strain on the psyche. If the distance to the place of work is shortened by a change of residence, the relative probability of absences due to mental illness can be reduced by up to 84 percent," says Helmut Schröder, Deputy Managing Director of the WIdO. This was achieved with the help of an analysis of the incapacity to work of those insured by the AOK employees in the last five years can be determined.

For almost 58 percent of the more than 13 million employed AOK members in 2017, their place of residence and work are up to 10 kilometers apart. In contrast, 10.6 percent of them have to bridge distances of more than 50 kilometers to their place of work. Their share has increased from 9.8 to 10.6 percent in the last five years. The commute distances are most noticeable among 30 to 39 year olds (average distance 26.5 kilometers). Men tend to travel longer to work than women (distance 26.2 to 20.4 kilometers).

AOK-insured employees who travel a maximum of 10 kilometers to work had an average of 11 cases of incapacity for work per 100 members due to mental illnesses in 2017. If the distance is at least 50 kilometers there are already 12 cases and if the distance to work is more than 500 kilometers there are 12.6 cases. Not only the number of sick notes, but also the average absences due to mental illnesses increase from 2.9 to 3.4 days of absence per AOK member. The driver here is the diagnosis “reactions to severe stress and adjustment disorders” (ICD F43). This includes depressive moods, fears, worries and the feeling of not being able to cope with everyday circumstances.

For its analyses, the WIdO also analyzed the number of days of absence within a five-year period to determine whether a change in place of residence with a change in the distance to the employer has an impact on days of absence due to mental illness. Of the almost 5 million employees who are continuously insured with AOK, 5.1 percent shortened the distance between home and work during this period, while for 6.1 percent the distance became longer. A comparison of the number of days of absence one year before and one year after the change of residence shows that when the distance traveled is shortened, psychologically-related absences increase below average, while lengthening the distance increases them above average. The increase in days of absence due to mental illness was greatest among the group of employees who become long-distance commuters after changing their place of residence, i.e. who travel at least 50 kilometers to their place of work (plus 54.4 percent). However, if the distance can be shortened to less than 50 kilometers, the increase is significantly lower at 7.9 percent. In the comparison group of those who have not changed their place of residence in the last five years, the increase was 49.4 percent.

“If you compare employees who have not moved in a five-year period with those who were able to shorten their commute to less than 50 kilometers through a move, it can be seen that the relative change in days missed due to mental illness falls by up to 84 percent,” said Helmut Schröder. “It is therefore worthwhile if employees shorten their commute or employers support their employees in finding accommodation locally, for example.”

In recent years, a continuous increase in downtime due to mental illness has been observed among all employees. In view of large studies in Germany that show no increase in mental disorders in Germany, the reasons for a shift towards mental illnesses have not been conclusively clarified. “It is clear that employees who have to travel long distances to work are exposed to psychological stress. For example, working in another city opens up new learning and development opportunities, but it also comes with risks,” says Schröder.

Overall, the number of sick days in 2017 remained constant at 5.3 percent, as in the previous two years. This means that each AOK-insured employee was absent from work for an average of 19.4 days due to a medical certificate of incapacity for work. The number of days absent due to mental illnesses has increased consistently over the last 10 years (67.5 percent). Mental illnesses also lead to long periods of downtime. At 26.1 days per case, they lasted more than twice as long as the average of 11.8 days per case in 2017.

The WIdO analysis is based on data from 13.2 million AOK-insured employees who were employed in more than 1.5 million companies in 2017.