Winter blues? Managing absence.
The spells of bad weather this winter have provided a wonderful opportunity for those people who don’t really like their work. Who’s to know how icy the roads are around our employees homes? Who’s to know how old those car batteries are?
We have always experienced absence among some groups of workers::the young are particularly prone to short term absence. Employees who are well motivated, interested in their jobs and who are healthy will be less susceptible to a ‘duvet (hangover!) or ‘snow (sledging!) day. Quite often employees will play the ‘sick’ card when they are not. Remember, though, that parents, particularly mothers, have a really difficult time when schools are closed due to bad weather at short notice.
The following things will help you to manage absence:
Develop pro-active measures to support staff such as 'work-life balance' policies including flexible working hours and varied working arrangements that fit the needs of your organisation.
Ensure that there is an awareness of policies on matters such as ‘domestic emergencies’ (technically ‘time off for dependent care’), Did you know that this is unpaid?
Make clear employees’ rights and obligations when taking time off from work due to sickness.
Your policy should:
- Provide details of contractual sick pay terms and its relationship with statutory sick pay
outline the process employees must follow if taking time off sick – covering when and whom employees should notify if they are not able to attend work- Include when (after how many days) employees need a self-certificate form
show the circumstances that require a medical certificate (sick-note) from their doctor to certify their absence- Mention that the organisation reserves the right to require employees to attend an examination by a company doctor and (with the worker’s consent) to request a report from the employee’s doctor
- Include provisions for return-to-work interviews as these have been identified as the most effective intervention to manage short-term absence.
Keep records of everything. Useful absence record-keeping systems that providing information on absence to line managers.
Return-to-work interviews can help identify short-term absence problems at an early stage. They also provide managers with an opportunity to start a dialogue with staff over underlying issues, which might be causing the absence. They are particularly good for looking people in the eye and letting them know that you know what they are up to; this will help to discourage the waverers. Talking will also allow you to identify solutions for people with genuine problems, such as child or elder care – think of changing hours or patterns of work.
Use stats from your records – once is worthy of note, twice a coincidence, three times a conspiracy. How many colds or migraines can a man have on a Monday or a Friday? Look for patterns.
The use of disciplinary procedures for unacceptable absence can make it clear to employees that unjustified absence will not be tolerated and that absence policies will be enforced. Don’t get heavy with everyone.
Consider an attendance incentives or bonus as part of the whole package to discourage ‘casual’ absence. Reward those who attend most regularly with more interesting work and let everyone know why you have done it.
As for that bad weather; if it returns think about ways in which you can get your employees to work even when they are not at work Get them to take things home with them. If your policy says that employees must ring in to say they aren’t coming to work then you can give them some work.
Even manual workers can do some training at home - reading manuals, thinking about new ways to do things. ‘Knowledge’ workers all have access to computers and e-mail. Get them to do some research, or even, by investing in some technology, do their normal work via remote access to the company computers.
(Why not come to one of our seminars on remote working? Contact us for details.)
First published in February 2010
John Spoerry Chartered FCIPD, is director of the independent , Buckinghamshire based, Daedis Human Resources Consultancy. (www.daedishr.co.uk or info@daedishr.co.uk)