Staff Absence Management

Are you dealing with absence in your workplace? Managers and business owners have to deal and contend with absence from staff throughout the year for various reasons. In fact, according to the latest statistics, the average absence rate per employee in the UK is 5.8 days. Yes, that’s 5.8 days per year. Staff absence can have a major impact on all types of businesses ranging from your typical 5-person business to larger organisations with hundreds of employees. In this latest guide, we are going to be outlining the best steps to implement staff absence management in ways that work well for both employers and employees. It’s important for managers to have a staff absence management strategy in place so that all employees are treated fairly.

Reasons For Absence

There are many reasons that a member of staff may be absent from work. Apart from holiday entitlement, an employee may be absent from the workplace for the following reasons;-

• Short-term or long-term medical conditions (physical and mental illness).
• Bereavement of a loved one or close friend.
• Pregnancy-related illnesses or check-up appointments at the hospital.
• Sudden and unexpected illnesses.
• Emergency appointments.
• Other personal issues.

Staff Absence Policies

Different employers will have different policies and procedures around staff absence but a critical part of staff absence management should include a clearly outlined absence policy that is accessible for everyone. An absence policy should ideally be included in the induction and on-boarding of any new employee so that they are clearly aware of all details. An absence policy should cover the following –

• How to report absences – we recommend encouraging employees to report absences via phone or email if it’s possible. It’s important to keep this consistent for all employees.
• Sets out how and when to keep in touch – for example, if an employee is off for more than one day, outline if they should email again the next day or call.
• Key contacts – ensure that the staff absence policy clearly outlines the key contact, so an employee knows exactly who to get in touch with.
• Outline key details – how much employees will be paid for absence, in what circumstances and for how long.
• Outline staff records and triggers – how the employer plans to keep track of absence records, for example, using Breathe HR management software to track absences.
• When sick notes are required – and in what circumstances an employee is required to provide a sick note or proof of sickness.

Staff Absence Management – Solutions

In an ideal world, employers and managers want to keep staff absence down to a minimum. Although a lot may be out of your control, there are strategies and solutions that you can implement in the workplace to effectively reduce staff absence. The benefits of having staff absence solutions in place is that it will ultimately reduce company expenses, increase productivity, and help with overall business growth.

Here are a few staff absence solutions we recommend –

• Effective Communication – This is perhaps one of the most underestimated types of staff absence management solutions. To reduce staff absence, it’s a good idea to create a positive workplace environment where employees feel valued. Effective and clear communication is a clear path to achieve this.
• Employee Assistance Programmes – Having employee assistance programmes in place can truly set your organisation apart and help your employees to feel recognised. Employee assistance programmes include counselling, managerial support tools, and a consultative approach.
• Return To Work Interviews – These types of interviews are essential particularly for an employee that has been absent from work for a long period of time. Return to work interviews allow employers to show understanding but also to find out how they can help to potentially make alternate arrangements, wherever necessary, so that the employee feels valued and motivated to return.

Breathe HR Software

Tracking staff absence is essential for identifying certain triggers and potential trends. You can complete your staff absence management checklist with our Breathe HR management software system that allows you to digitally record all employee absence records.

Breathe HR software works intuitively for both management and employees, meaning everyone works in a streamlined and visible manner.

Need HR Support? Contact NORi HR & Employment Law

We can support you with staff absence management in multiple ways.

Whether you require training to improve employee development, need our support with long-term sickness meeting questions to ask a returning employee, or just need access to our professionals for peace of mind, we offer a flexible service to meet all your unique requirements.

For more information regarding staff absence management, please get in touch with our professional team of HR consultants today by calling us now on 01254 947829. Alternatively, use our contact form and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.