Managing Absence In The Workplace

Managing absence is when a company has systems and policies to help deal with employee absences and keep levels low. This allows the employer to keep productivity at a high level.

It is crucial for employers to have effective absence management practices in place since excessive absence levels cost firms thousands of pounds each year, charges that most businesses cannot afford to cover.

What Are The Main Causes Of Absence In The Workplace?

COVID-19, the common cold, the flu, and stomach aches are examples of illnesses that are typically responsible for an employee’s absence from work. For example, almost one in ten (8%) organisations lost over 25% of working time to COVID-19-related absence in the previous year [source: CIPD]. However, other things can cause an employee to be absent, including:

There are, without a doubt, a significant number of valid explanations for an employee’s absence from work, but there are occasions when it can become more than just a little annoyance and actually become an issue. A difference can be made with the support of effective management and policies that are applied consistently.

What Is An Absenteeism Policy?

To effectively manage workplace absence, you need a clear absenteeism policy.

An absenteeism policy is a collection of directives and protocols with the objective of cutting down on the number of workdays that employees are absent from. The employee attendance policy and procedure may outline the acceptable reasons why an employee might miss work, scheduled time off, and any disciplinary actions that could be given for being late or absent from work too often.

Your absenteeism policy should include the following:

• The actions employees need to take if they cannot report to work. For example, who exactly they need to inform, when, and how should they do it, whether it is sufficient for them to send a text message to their boss, or are they required to enter into your HR system by 8 am and report their absence?
• Specifics regarding the methods used to capture and evaluate their absence data. If they have been away from work for an extended period, what can we expect when they return? This could consist of an interview upon their return to work and a brief onboarding process to assist them in reintegrating into the team and the projects they are working on.

How To Address High Absenteeism

Take the following actions to help with managing absence and address the issue in a manner that is appropriate and professional, if you have an employee who has recurring problems with their attendance:

1. Have a conversation with the staff member about the underlying problem.

Sit down with the employee and have a conversation about why they have been calling in sick or arriving to work late before you decide to discipline them for their absence. If you have an employee who is having difficulties in their personal life or health, you can provide them with the help they need to work through their concerns.

Do not automatically presume that an employee is taking a leave of absence to get out of work because they may be absent due to a medical condition or a disability. They could be bullied at work or feel overwhelmed, which could lead to them taking time off owing to the stress they are experiencing. When you talk to your employee about this, it’s important to try to understand, find a solution, and respect their right to privacy.

2. Ensure that you have the company policy and refer to it

When you have a conversation with your worker, be sure to have a copy of the company policy on hand so that you can directly compare their actions and the standards to which they committed when they accepted their position. The justification for your concern can help employees gain valuable perspective on how their absences impact the team, and it can show that you are holding them to the same standards as other employees. By explaining why you’re worried, you can help employees understand how their absences affect the team.

3. Direct them to relevant and useful resources.

Once you figure out why an employee hasn’t been showing up to work, you should point them to resources that could help them fix the problem. You could, for instance, refer them to a counsellor to assist them in addressing challenges in their personal lives, assist them in locating more dependable transportation so they can make it to work on time, or educate them about the work-from-home opportunities and wellness programmes that your company offers.

4. Develop a strategy for future progress.

During the meeting that you have scheduled with your employee, make sure to provide a specific timeline for when you expect to see improvements.

5. Schedule regular check-ins

Make sure that the reason they aren’t coming to work is talked about at the meetings you set up to track their progress and make sure the problem is being fixed.

6. Explore formal warnings if appropriate

Send the employee a formal warning through HR if they keep missing work or coming in late. The formal warning must include an explanation of the next step in the escalation process, which can be probation or even termination of employment. You should keep a copy of the employee’s improvement plan and the written warning in their personnel file so that you avoid getting sued for firing them for no reason.

Managing absence in the workplace is vital, and striking the correct balance is a big part of this. For information, support, and guidance on managing absence in your workplace, visit our website.