Absence Management

An area that seems to be of great concern to employers, judging by the amount of calls that we receive on the subject, is managing absence – both genuine and otherwise. This is a particular issue for small to medium sized businesses where the impact of an absent employee can make a huge difference to the smooth running of the organisation.

An area of significant concern is that many employers believe that there is little that can be done about absence and that they just have to ‘put up with it’. Whilst we accept that managing absence is not easy, provided a methodical approach is used, you can actively manage absence without having to unduly worry about claims of constructive dismissal or discrimination.

The critical points to remember are:

• Deal with any absence from an early stage – employers often leave it until it has become a major problem
• Seek advice and guidance from an early stage – it is surprising how much ‘sickness absence’ resolves itself if it is managed quickly by a Manager who is seen by the employee to 'know what they are doing'
• Use a methodical approach and document all of your actions

The cost of absenteeism in the workplace should not be underestimated. Whilst most employers believe that absence is due to genuine sickness, the sheer cost to businesses in lost productivity and the resultant impact on customer service is a matter for serious concern.

The most effective approach for any employer to take to reduce the number of days lost through absence within their organisation, save the substantial absence costs associated with it, and improve organisational performance, is to manage absence through the introduction of absence management processes within their business.

We can support your business by developing bespoke absence management processes that really fit your business needs, providing Management Guides (including flowcharts) for easy reference on the actions to take, and through providing practical and realistic advice and guidance.

Some of the processes to consider are:

• Introducing an Absence Management Policy that clearly outlines the responsibilities of the employer and employee and ensures you are well positioned to address absence issues as they arise
• Brief all employees about the new Absence Policy to ensure full understanding of their roles and responsibilities
• Ensure every employee receives a ‘Return to Work Interview’ following a period of absence
• Where employees are absent for longer periods, arrange for a Manager to visit them at home to offer support and develop an understanding of their sickness issue, or offer and arrange for professional counselling
• Seek medical advice (with employee consent and using the appropriate documentation) to ensure that appropriate support or adjustments are being provided to enable an early return to work
• Differentiate between frequent / regular ‘days off’, short-term absence and long-term absence. Short-term absence may be linked to different underlying issues. Managing the absence of an employee who takes regular ‘days off’ may need a completely different approach!
• Measure the levels of absence in your organisation to ensure you have a good understanding of the size of the issue and whether there are any trends in the absence rates
• Maintain confidential absence records to ensure that you are fully informed on the issues and you have a detailed record of discussions and action agreed / taken (Records must be maintained in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998)
• Remember that employees are entitled to ‘reasonable’ amounts of unpaid time off under the Parental Leave and Time Off for Dependants legislation
• Finally, ensure that any actions to tackle and reduce absence are taken in light of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, which requires employers not to treat a disabled employee less favourably without justification

For 'proactive' advice on preventing and managing
absence, or 'reactive' advice if you already have a problem,
please contact us.

Related Topics

Contracts of Employment

Discipline and Grievance Procedures

Employee Benefits

Employee Handbooks

Equal Opportunities (Absence related to Disabilities)

Performance Management