According to the most recent DHS Absence Management & Wellbeing Survey employees, employees take an average of 9 days per annum. This includes both sick, carers and compassionate leave. The average cost of absence is greater than $300 per day when you include wages, on costs and indirect costs such as overtime/replacement labour, or lost productivity. But perhaps the greatest cost is the lost opportunity to positively impact your employees health and wellbeing when they become ill or injured at work.