Top 5 Tips for Reducing Absenteeism

1.      Measure Absence

If you don’t measure, you cannot benchmark against other organisations in your sector to determine whether you have an absence problem. The first month of the year is just over so this is an ideal time to start measuring one of the strongest people related KPI’s. This can be easily automated by the use of HR Software.

2.      Introduce and communicate your absence Policy

It is virtually impossible to manage absence without a policy and certainly very difficult to successfully defend an absence related dismissal at Tribunal.

A policy will distinguish between short-term and long-term absence: it will outline the levels of ST absence which will be tolerated before formal procedures are initiated as well as explaining how LT absence will be managed.

3.      Conduct Return to Work Interviews

Make time to speak to your employee immediately upon their return to work. It is as important to show employees that you care about their health and inform them of any updates whilst they were absent as it is to hold possible malingering employees accountable for their absence.

4.      Engage professional intervention

Most employers are not medically qualified to assess an employee’s medical condition, so it is important in cases of longer-term absence to engage with an Occupation Health Advisor. You will be advised of the nature of the condition, the prognosis for the employee to provide continued and sustained service as well as any workplace adjustments which may be required. Any dismissal without such information is likely to leave the organisation exposed to a potentially successful claim or Unfair Dismissal and/or disability Discrimination.

You should also consider proactive interventions such as physiotherapy and counselling services which prove very cost effective when weighed up against the cost of absence.

5.      Workplace Culture

Look at the culture of your organisation and consider whether it is contributing to the level of absence being experienced. A new report just released (see link in comments) claims that 8.6 million people threw a sickie last year because of job dissatisfaction attributable to culture, workload or colleagues.