The unique nature of the Canary Islands' insular economy generates various paradoxes. Despite sustained employment growth since the 1950s, the region maintains high unemployment rates, far from full employment since the early 1970s. This phenomenon is explained by the considerable increase in the active population, which barely decreases during recessions but grows rapidly during economic expansions.
A curious aspect is that the apparent productivity of the labor factor in the Canary Islands tends to increase during phases of low economic growth and decrease during periods of expansion. It is crucial not to confuse disparate facts, such as absenteeism and productivity, when analyzing this data.
It does not seem logical that, in a region with high unemployment rates, growing labor supply, high rotation levels, and low wages, workers show a high tendency to be absent from work.
Recent figures on labor absenteeism in the archipelago are perplexing. In a context of high unemployment, increasing labor supply, high turnover, and modest wages, the supposed high tendency of workers to be absent from work does not align with logical expectations. However, the available statistical evidence fails to clarify these doubts.
The main sources of information, such as the Active Population Survey (EPA) by the INE, do not publish data on the reasons for labor absence due to confidentiality. Similarly, the Quarterly Labor Cost Survey (ETCL), also from the INE, used in reports by entities like Randstad and the Mutua de Accidentes de Canarias, has limitations as it excludes key sectors such as agriculture, public administration, and household activities.
Furthermore, some reports do not detail the statistical information supporting the calculation of the absenteeism rate, which prevents its verification. The definition of absenteeism as the percentage of hours lost due to unpaid absences relative to actual working hours, although approximable with ETCL data, does not always exactly match published calculations.
An alternative indicator, which calculates unpaid hours based on effective hours plus non-worked hours, places the Canary Islands well below the national average, contradicting the results of the aforementioned reports. Non-worked hours include both paid (holidays, temporary disability leave) and unpaid (labor disputes, absenteeism, legal guardianship), allowing for the construction of a relevant index, though not strictly one of absenteeism.
In the last quarter of 2025, Asturias, followed by the Canary Islands and Galicia, showed the highest relative level of non-worked hours per worker per month. The evolution of this index in the Canary Islands reveals stability from 2008 until the pandemic, with annual peaks in the third quarter, and a post-pandemic alteration, followed by new stability at levels higher than those of 2020.
The situation of temporary disability leave (ILT) is different, with the Canary Islands recording a very high index in January, only surpassed by Galicia, especially due to common contingencies. The causes of this phenomenon could lie in the healthcare system, work organization, the age of the employed population, and low wages.
Absenteeism, understood as absence from work for various reasons, is closely linked to motivation and the work environment. It is recommended to foster a good working climate, motivate employees, facilitate work-life balance and flexible schedules, and offer adequate training. Business profitability in the Canary Islands is slightly higher than the national average, according to the Bank of Spain Observatory and the Official College of Registrars of Spain, suggesting that labor costs, along with the tax system and other aid, have compensated for the islands' economic vulnerabilities.
It is essential to avoid the conceptual misunderstanding of mixing temporary disability leave (ILT) with absenteeism, an error present in the initial approach of some reports. Regarding labor costs, Spanish experience in social concertation indicates the importance of not transferring past inflation to future wage increases, but also not reducing real wages during periods of low growth, as they are part of aggregate demand.
This is a time to foster an environment conducive to social concertation, avoiding debates on issues without statistical backing or stirring unnecessary tensions.
