Plain-language questions
Ask for zero absence rate per month, customer or product in the SQL Explorer with AI. The AI writes the SQL, you see the query and run it yourself; the AI only receives metadata.
KPI · HR
Zero absence rate: formula and example.
Zero absence rate is the percentage of employees who did not report sick at all during a period, usually a year. You only include employees who were employed for the whole period. It complements the absenteeism rate by showing how widely absence is spread across the organisation.
Zero absence rate formula
Employees with no absence spell in the period ÷ employees employed for the whole period × 100%
Worked example
126 Acme Groothandel employees were employed throughout 2025. 63 of them did not report sick once that year. The zero absence rate is 63 ÷ 126 × 100% = 50.0%.
Fictitious figures for Acme Groothandel, a sample wholesaler.
How to read this KPI
A higher rate means absence is concentrated among a smaller group of employees. If the zero absence rate falls while the absenteeism rate stays flat, more people are taking short spells off sick. Compare by year and by departments of a reasonable size.
Pitfalls with zero absence rate
- Including employees who were only there for part of the year; they had less chance of an absence spell.
- Rewarding or publishing zero absence per person, which can push people to work while ill.
- Showing the figure for small teams, which reveals who did report sick.
SQL & DAX
Calculating zero absence rate in SQL and DAX
Two examples on a fictitious data warehouse for Acme Groothandel: a PostgreSQL query and a measure for a Power BI model. Adjust table and column names to your own model.
WITH full_year AS (
SELECT employee_id FROM employees
WHERE hire_date <= DATE '2025-01-01'
AND (termination_date IS NULL OR termination_date > DATE '2025-12-31')
),
sick AS (
SELECT DISTINCT employee_id FROM absences
WHERE start_date <= DATE '2025-12-31'
AND COALESCE(end_date, DATE '2025-12-31') >= DATE '2025-01-01'
)
SELECT COUNT(*) AS employees_full_year,
COUNT(*) FILTER (WHERE s.employee_id IS NULL) AS zero_absence,
ROUND(100.0 * COUNT(*) FILTER (WHERE s.employee_id IS NULL) / NULLIF(COUNT(*), 0), 1) AS zero_absence_pct
FROM full_year f
LEFT JOIN sick s ON s.employee_id = f.employee_id;Zero Absence % =
VAR StartDate = MIN ( 'Date'[Date] )
VAR EndDate = MAX ( 'Date'[Date] )
VAR FullPeriod = FILTER ( ALL ( Employees ), Employees[HireDate] <= StartDate && ( ISBLANK ( Employees[TerminationDate] ) || Employees[TerminationDate] > EndDate ) )
VAR NoAbsence = FILTER ( FullPeriod, ISEMPTY ( FILTER ( ALL ( Absences ), Absences[EmployeeId] = Employees[EmployeeId] && Absences[StartDate] <= EndDate && ( ISBLANK ( Absences[EndDate] ) || Absences[EndDate] >= StartDate ) ) ) )
RETURN DIVIDE ( COUNTROWS ( NoAbsence ), COUNTROWS ( FullPeriod ) )In ENABLE
Tracking this KPI in ENABLE
In your Power BI dashboard
Define the KPI as a measure in your Power BI model and show it in the portal, with "Last refreshed" next to it. Access profiles and optional row-level security decide who sees which figures.
Custom dashboards (pilot)
Add the KPI as a tile to a custom dashboard, compared with last year. The Dashboard Builder is a pilot and can be switched on per client.
Monthly targets
With the built-in Targets app you set a target for the KPI per month, so you see actuals and target side by side.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is the zero absence rate?
The zero absence rate is the percentage of employees who had no sickness absence in a period. It is usually calculated over a calendar year and only for people employed for the whole year. It complements the absenteeism rate and absence frequency.
How do you calculate the zero absence rate?
Identify the employees who were employed for the whole period and count how many had no absence spell at all. Divide that number by the total and multiply by 100%. Spells that ran into the period also count as absence.
Should you reward zero absence?
It is generally discouraged. A reward can push people to work while ill, leading to more absence in the longer term. Use the zero absence rate as an organisation-level figure, not as a measure of individual performance.
Further reading
- KPI libraryHR KPIs: formulas and examplesHR KPIs cover staffing, absence, turnover and recruitment. This is sensitive data: show it only to people who are allowed to see it, and do not report on groups so small that individuals can be identified.Read more
- ResourcesHow to build a KPI dashboard: steps and examplesA KPI dashboard is an overview of the key figures you use to steer towards your goals, such as revenue, margin, on-time delivery or absenteeism. A good KPI dashboard does not start with the software, but with the decisions it needs to support. You then choose a limited number of KPIs, define them, sketch the dashboard and only then build it.Read more
- SolutionPower BI dashboard portal: share dashboards securelyShare your Power BI dashboards securely in your own portal, with role-based access.Read more
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