Absenteeism refers to the frequent and habitual absence of an employee from the office. However, it excludes paid leave and periods where an employee is granted time off. As a manager, team leader, or supervisor, it’s likely that you have experienced cases of absenteeism. It is essential to know that some employees will be absent from work occasionally for reasons like illness, bereavement, or jury duty. However, when this is constant, it becomes a problem. The aftermath of absenteeism is widespread, affecting both employees and the company’s financial productivity. Knowing how to reduce the absenteeism rate to maximize your staff productivity is pivotal as a manager. This post will provide you with five ways to manage absenteeism:
Create an Attendance Policy
As a manager, your staff should know their expectations regarding attendance. If you experience frequent absenteeism from some of them, setting up an attendance policy might be your best option. A clear attendance policy should clarify how absences are reported, the absences process, and your approach to recording absences. The policy should also consist of information on how you’ll tackle constant absenteeism and its consequences. However, this policy should be discussed with all staff members before implementation.
Reduce Workplace Stress
Workplace stress is one of the significant causes of employee absenteeism. Therefore, you should try to correct factors that could result in employee stress. For instance, you should focus on providing your employees with equipment to improve productivity and reduce stress, as employee health and well-being are essential. You should implement wellness programs to improve employee well-being and work health.
Utilize Absence Management Tools
Absence management and tracking tools enable you to remain updated about employee absences and attendance in actual time. Absence management tools such as a dedicated call-in number can be used to stay up-to-date about unprecedented employee absences. They also provide valuable data on absenteeism trends and the effectiveness of specific policies.
Reward Good Attendance
Implementing a proper reward scheme for staff members with a stellar record of attendance is a good way to encourage them to attend work. However, you should execute this one with care, as employees may have genuine reasons for their absence. You should avoid penalizing the employees with excused absences. This will also show that you value employees that are regular to work.
Caution Absences Immediately
Absenteeism should be dealt with based on the company’s attendance policy, and consequences should be handed out consistently. However, addressing unprecedented absences shouldn’t only be about giving sanctions. If your company has an HR department, it should focus on trying to understand and support the employees. As a manager, ensure you ascertain the reason for their absence as they may have problems that require your assistance. The HR department should also conduct interviews with employees returning to work. It will help them get into their duties easily, lower the rate of absenteeism, and prove that the firm cares about its employees.
Absenteeism in the workplace may seem complicated, but these strategies listed above are sure ways to manage absenteeism better. Primarily, you can reduce the unprecedented absence rate by adopting health initiatives, improving communication, and creating a proper attendance policy.
