Bloomberg BNA's Job Absence and Turnover reports provide focused quarterly employment statistics covering employee turnover and unscheduled job absences. Top-line results and summaries are presented followed by breakouts for employment sector, workforce size, and geographic region. This survey is conducted among a panel of human resource executives representing organizations around the United States.

1. Job Absence & Turnover
2nd Quarter 2014
Job Absence Plummets in Second Quarter,
Falls Back to Typical Post-Recession Levels
In a pattern that has become familiar since the last re-
cession, signs of rising job absence in one quarter
vanished in the next. After reaching six-year highs in
early 2014, absence rates plunged back to typical post-
recession levels during the spring. Median monthly
rates of unscheduled absence (excluding long-term ab-
sences and partial days off) averaged 0.7 percent of
scheduled worker days in April, May and June, down
sharply from 1.0 percent in the first quarter of 2014 but
unchanged from the second-quarter average recorded a
year ago.
Employee absenteeism had climbed to its highest
points since 2008 in January (1.2 percent) and February
(1.1 percent) of this year, but the median monthly ab-
sence rate subsequently tumbled to 0.8 percent in
March and April and 0.7 percent in May and June. (See
the line graph below.)
Turnover Edges Up in the Second Quarter
but Still Tracks Below Pre-Recession Levels
Employee turnover in the spring outpaced separa-
tions in the previous quarter and the second quarter
of 2013, but departure rates remain well short of pre-
recession levels. Median rates of permanent separation
(excluding layoffs and reductions-in-force) averaged
0.9 percent of the workforce per month in the second
quarter, compared with 0.7 percent in the first quarter
and 0.8 percent in April to June of 2013.
As the line graph below shows, the median departure
rate climbed from 0.8 percent in March to 0.9 percent
in April and May, then fell back to 0.8 percent in June.
The April and May figures are each up two-tenths of
percentage point from 2013; the June rate is down
slightly from a year ago (0.9 percent). Separation rates
often rise as the weather grows warmer. Before the re-
cession, however, monthly turnover frequently surged
well above 1.0 percent in the spring and summer.
Monthly Job Absence Rates for All Employers
Median Percent of Scheduled Workdays
A BNA Graphic/suq314af
F M OA M J J A S N DJ
0
1
2
3
2013
2014
F M OA M J J A S N DJ
0
1
2
3
A BNA Graphic/suq314tf
Monthly Turnover Rates for All Employers
Median Percent of Workforce
2013
2014
VOL. 65, NO. 35 PART 2 PAGES S-1 - S-4 SEPTEMBER 2, 2014
COPYRIGHT ஽ 2014 BY THE BUREAU OF NATIONAL AFFAIRS, INC. ISSN 0525-2156
Bulletin to
Management™

2. Job Absence
Recent Patterns in Absence
Suggest Reemergence of Seasonal Trends
Through the first half of 2014, median monthly ab-
sence rates averaged 0.9 percent of scheduled
worker days, slightly higher than the mid-year averages
for 2013 (0.8 percent) and 2012 (0.7 percent) but still far
below levels that were common before the economic
downturn (e.g., an average of 1.4 percent over the first
six months of 2006).
In both 2013 and 2014, comparatively high job ab-
sence early in the year has been followed by much
lower absenteeism in the second quarter, suggesting
the reemergence of a seasonal pattern observed over
most of the survey’s history. Prior to the last recession
(late 2007 through mid-2009), absence typically de-
clined as winter gave way to spring, presumably a prod-
uct of better weather and the end of flu season. Since
the downturn, the severity of the recession and the
tenuous recovery might have prompted workers to
brave winter storms, ignore their symptoms, or both.
Absenteeism remains lowest among the smallest em-
ployers, as the bar chart at right shows. Median ab-
sence rates through the first half of the year averaged
0.6 percent of scheduled worker days among firms with
fewer than 250 workers, the same six-month average as
in 2013. Mid-year averages were substantially higher—
and up from a year earlier—among organizations with
250 to 499 workers (1.2 percent to 1.9 percent), 500 to
999 employees (0.6 percent to 0.9 percent), 1,000 to
2,499 workers (0.8 percent to 2.1 percent) and 2,500 or
more employees (1.5 percent to 1.7 percent).
Workers in nonmanufacturing firms are still less dis-
posed to taking an unscheduled day off than their col-
leagues in other industry sectors. Median absence rates
through the first half of 2014 averaged 0.6 percent of
scheduled worker days in the nonmanufacturing sector,
despite comparatively high job absence in the financial
sector (1.2 percent). As the bar chart at right shows, the
six-month average for 2014 was 1.0 percent among
manufacturing enterprises and 1.1 percent in both the
nonbusiness sector (e.g., hospitals, schools, govern-
ment) and its health care subgroup.
By region, the mid-year average was barely higher
among Southern and Western employers (1.0 percent
each) than in the Northeastern (0.9 percent) and North
Central (0.8 percent) regions.
Median Percent of Scheduled Workdays
Monthly Job Absence by Industry
201320122010 2011
0
1
2
3
Manufacturing
Nonbusiness
Nonmanufacturing
2014
A BNA Graphic/suq314al
Monthly Job Absence by Industry
Median Percent of Scheduled Workdays
Region
Northeast
South
North Central
West
All Employers
Average of Monthly Median Rates, in Percent
Unscheduled Absence: Jan.–Jun.
A BNA Graphic/suq314ab
Industry
Manufacturing
Nonmanufacturing
(Finance)
Nonbusiness
(Health Care)
Workforce Size
Fewer than 250
250-499
500-999
1,000-2,499
2,500 or more
1.9
1.7
2.1
0.9
0.6
1.0
0.6
1.1
0.8
1.1
0.9
1.2
0.9
1.0
1.0
S-2 (No. 35)
9-2-14 COPYRIGHT ஽ 2014 BY THE BUREAU OF NATIONAL AFFAIRS, INC. BTM ISSN 0525-2156

3. Turnover
Demographic Analysis Also Shows
No Consistent or Notable Trends
For the first six months of 2014, median monthly
separation rates averaged 0.8 percent of responding
employers’ workforces per month, marginally higher
than the mid-year average in 2013 (0.7 percent) and not
much different than attrition rates recorded over the
past several years. Turnover rates have rebounded only
slightly since plunging to record lows in 2009, with no
indication of a return to levels that were common be-
fore the last recession.
Demographic analysis also has borne out the lack of
sustained or consistent trends in employee separations.
Across workforce size classifications, the average of
median monthly separation rates through the first half
of the year edged up from 2013 among establishments
with 250 to 499 employees (from 0.8 percent to 0.9 per-
cent) and organizations with 500 to 999 workers (0.8
percent to 1.0 percent), but declined slightly among the
smallest responding companies (0.2 percent to 0.1 per-
cent) and more sharply in enterprises with 1,000 to
2,499 employees (1.2 percent to 0.9 percent). Among
the largest surveyed establishments (2,500 or more
workers), the six-month average was unchanged from a
year earlier, at 0.9 percent of those employers’ work-
forces per month.
By industry, the mid-year average of median
monthly attrition rates climbed from 0.7 percent to 0.9
percent among both manufacturing companies and
nonbusiness establishments (e.g., hospitals, schools,
municipalities). Turnover rose slightly among health
care facilities (1.1 percent to 1.2 percent) and continues
to outpace employee attrition in the nonbusiness sector
as a whole. (See the bar chart at right.) Those modest
increases were partially offset by a small decline in
separations in the nonmanufacturing sector, where the
six-month average of median separation rates fell from
0.7 percent to 0.6 percent of the workforce per month,
despite rising turnover among financial institutions (0.6
percent to 0.9 percent).
Employee attrition has exhibited even less variance
by geographic region. The six-month average of median
turnover rates climbed one-tenth of a point in the South
and West (to 0.9 percent in both regions), fell one-tenth
of a point among North Central employers (0.8 percent)
and held steady in the Northeast (at 0.6 percent).
20132012 20142010 2011
0
1
2
3
A BNA Graphic/suq314tl
Median Percent of Workforce
Monthly Turnover by Industry
Nonmanufacturing
Manufacturing
Nonbusiness
0.9
0.6
0.8
Average of Monthly Median Rates, in Percent
Monthly Turnover: Jan.–Jun.
A BNA Graphic/suq314tb
0.8
0.9
Workforce Size
Region
Fewer than 250
250-499
500-999
1,000-2,499
Northeast
South
North Central
West
All Employers
Industry
Manufacturing
Nonmanufacturing
(Finance)
Nonbusiness
(Health Care)
0.9
0.9
0.6
0.9
0.9
1.0
0.9
2,500 or more
1.2
0.1
0.9
(No. 35) S-3
BULLETIN TO MANAGEMENT ISSN 0525-2156 BNA 9-2-14

4. Table 1. Job Absence Rates
(days of absence as a percent of the average workforce)
April 2014 May 2014 June 2014
Low
1st
Quartile Median
3rd
Quartile High Low
1st
Quartile Median
3rd
Quartile High Low
1st
Quartile Median
3rd
Quartile High
All employers (87) 0.00 0.2 0.8 1.6 6.3 0.00 0.2 0.7 1.4 6.3 0.00 0.2 0.7 1.4 10.3
By Workforce Size
Fewer than 250 (57) 0.00 0.1 0.6 1.2 6.3 0.00 0.1 0.5 1.1 6.3 0.00 0.2 0.5 1.0 6.3
250-499 (8) 0.15 0.7 1.3 3.5 5.6 0.15 0.5 1.3 2.8 5.6 0.14 0.3 1.5 3.0 5.6
500-999 (10) 0.11 0.2 0.9 1.2 2.5 0.10 0.2 0.7 0.9 2.5 0.08 0.2 0.7 0.8 2.5
1000-2499 (3) 0.00 0.0 2.9 5.5 5.5 0.00 0.0 2.8 5.3 5.3 0.00 0.0 1.4 5.0 5.0
2500+ (9) 0.48 1.0 1.1 1.5 2.7 0.49 0.9 1.2 1.3 2.7 0.10 0.9 1.0 1.7 10.3
By Industry
Manufacturing (20) 0.00 0.5 0.9 1.3 5.6 0.00 0.5 1.0 1.3 5.6 0.00 0.2 0.7 1.5 5.6
Nonmfg (45) 0.00 0.1 0.4 1.2 4.8 0.00 0.1 0.4 1.0 4.8 0.00 0.1 0.3 1.0 4.9
Finance (7) 0.00 0.4 1.0 1.4 2.0 0.00 0.2 0.7 1.4 2.2 0.00 0.2 0.6 1.1 1.3
Nonbusiness (22) 0.00 0.6 1.3 2.0 6.3 0.00 0.5 1.0 1.8 6.3 0.00 0.5 0.9 2.0 10.3
Health Care (6) 0.55 0.9 1.6 1.7 2.9 0.50 0.9 1.3 1.7 2.8 0.43 0.9 1.4 1.7 2.0
By Region
Northeast (14) 0.00 0.3 0.9 1.2 3.1 0.00 0.4 0.7 1.3 3.5 0.00 0.4 0.7 1.4 3.0
South (35) 0.00 0.3 0.8 1.6 6.3 0.00 0.2 0.8 1.4 6.3 0.00 0.2 0.7 2.1 10.3
North Central (25) 0.00 0.2 0.9 1.5 5.6 0.00 0.2 0.8 1.3 5.6 0.00 0.2 0.6 1.3 5.6
West (13) 0.00 0.1 0.5 1.7 2.2 0.00 0.2 0.5 1.7 3.5 0.00 0.2 0.8 1.7 2.5
Number of worker-days lost through absence during month
Rates computed as: × 100
(Avg. no. of employees during month) × (No. of workdays)
Job absence is defined as unscheduled absence. It does not include long-term absences after the first four days; vacations, holidays or other scheduled
leave; or absences of less than a full day.
Table 2. Turnover Rates
(separations as a percent of the average workforce)
April 2014 May 2014 June 2014
Low
1st
Quartile Median
3rd
Quartile High Low
1st
Quartile Median
3rd
Quartile High Low
1st
Quartile Median
3rd
Quartile High
All employers (131) 0.00 0.0 0.9 1.6 10.7 0.00 0.0 0.9 1.7 11.6 0.00 0.0 0.8 1.5 11.8
By Workforce Size
Fewer than 250 (72) 0.00 0.0 0.0 1.8 10.7 0.00 0.0 0.0 1.7 11.6 0.00 0.0 0.6 2.1 11.8
250-499 (19) 0.00 0.7 1.1 1.6 5.8 0.30 0.6 1.1 1.8 9.1 0.00 0.6 0.9 1.3 5.1
500-999 (14) 0.34 0.6 1.3 1.7 3.8 0.34 0.6 1.2 1.9 3.8 0.00 0.4 1.2 2.1 4.2
1000-2499 (8) 0.38 0.6 0.9 1.0 1.1 0.36 0.6 1.0 1.4 2.7 0.36 0.6 0.8 1.0 2.1
2500+ (18) 0.00 0.6 0.8 1.1 3.8 0.00 0.5 0.9 1.6 4.7 0.00 0.4 0.9 1.2 7.2
By Industry
Manufacturing (31) 0.00 0.4 1.0 1.7 10.4 0.00 0.4 1.0 2.3 9.1 0.00 0.6 1.0 1.7 7.7
Nonmfg (64) 0.00 0.0 0.7 1.5 10.7 0.00 0.0 0.6 1.6 11.6 0.00 0.0 0.6 1.4 11.8
Finance (11) 0.00 0.7 1.1 1.7 10.0 0.00 0.0 1.3 1.7 2.7 0.00 0.0 0.8 2.1 11.1
Nonbusiness (36) 0.00 0.4 0.9 1.8 5.9 0.00 0.4 1.1 1.6 4.7 0.00 0.3 0.9 1.7 7.6
Health Care (13) 0.00 0.7 0.9 1.5 3.8 0.36 1.0 1.2 1.6 3.7 0.54 0.7 1.0 1.2 4.2
By Region
Northeast (25) 0.00 0.0 0.7 1.3 3.0 0.00 0.0 0.9 1.4 2.3 0.00 0.0 0.8 1.2 2.3
South (46) 0.00 0.0 0.9 1.6 10.4 0.00 0.3 1.0 1.8 6.3 0.00 0.0 0.9 2.0 9.1
North Central (39) 0.00 0.0 0.7 1.6 10.0 0.00 0.0 0.7 1.6 9.1 0.00 0.0 0.7 1.4 11.8
West (21) 0.00 0.8 1.1 2.0 10.7 0.00 0.0 1.0 2.7 11.6 0.00 0.0 1.0 2.1 7.7
Number of separations during month
Rates computed as: × 100
Avg. no. of employees on payroll during month
Turnover figures cover permanent separations, whether voluntary or involuntary. They do not include job eliminations, reductions-in-force, long-term leaves of
absence, layoffs or departures of temporary staff.
Note: Tables 1 and 2 show the range of absence and turnover rates reported for each month. Between the first and third quartiles fall half of the reported
rates; a fourth of the employers had rates below the first quartile, and a fourth had rates above the third quartile. The number of responding employers in
each category is indicated by the figures in parentheses.
The Survey Sample: This survey is conducted quarterly among a panel of human resource executives representing organizations throughout the United
States. Of the 154 employers responding in time for tabulation of this quarter’s survey, 54 percent have fewer than 250 workers, 13 percent have
workforces of 250 to 499 employees, 12 percent employ 500 to 999 workers, 6 percent have workforces of 1,000 to 2,499 employees and 15 percent
employ at least 2,500 workers. By industry, 23 percent of the organizations are manufacturing companies, 51 percent are nonmanufacturing firms and 25
percent are nonbusiness establishments. By region, 18 percent of the employers are located in the Northeast, 38 percent operate in the South, 27 percent
are located in North Central states and 18 percent operate in the West. Estimated total employment of the responding organizations: 635,962.
S-4 (No. 35)
9-2-14 COPYRIGHT ஽ 2014 BY THE BUREAU OF NATIONAL AFFAIRS, INC. BTM ISSN 0525-2156