Managing absence

Performance / 01 February 2010

How to deal with an empty office

Following the long cold snap, swine flu scare and the usual seasonal coughs and colds, many businesses will be looking forward to getting back to full strength in the spring. However, absence remains an inevitable and often unpredictable staffing challenge.

As a first step, policies on absence management – including those dealing with adverse weather procedures – should be reviewed to ensure they communicate the organisation’s expectations. These should be backed up with administrative and management systems to ensure policies are implemented and staff are appropriately monitored.

Offering flexible hours may be a useful absence management tool in areas where predictability of resourcing levels is not essential

Chris Cooper and Natalie Harris, solicitors, Maclay, Murray and Spens

It is also important to publicise policies to staff by stressing the impact of absence, procedures and support for employees, and the consequences of non-compliance.

It may be helpful to compare and publish details of absence levels across business areas, or generally within the industry. This can act as a powerful incentive to employees to improve their attendance. However, employers should be sensitive in their approach – unhealthy competitiveness may be counterproductive.

During absence, employers should aim to keep in regular contact with employees, as this can help identify options for returning to work. However, a degree of sensitivity needs to be exercised when encouraging absent employees back to work, particularly where the absence is down to illness.

The rise in flexible working is another way of mitigating the impact of absence. Remote working means it’s now possible for many tasks to be done just as effectively from home. Likewise, offering flexible hours may be a useful absence management tool in areas where predictability of resourcing levels is not essential.

Employers may also wish to identify individuals who could cover the duties of absent colleagues and arrange any additional training. Similarly, the introduction of team working could help reduce the impact of absent employees, while team commitment may also provide an incentive for good attendance.

In the US, direct ways of rewarding attendance are popular. These incentive schemes, which link attendance to salary increases or bonuses, can be controversial so it’s important to consider potential discrimination issues. It may also be worth including absence issues in appraisals, demonstrating that attendance is a priority.

As there is no one size fits all solution, it is important to tailor the management of employee absence to the needs of the business. While policies do not have to be all-embracing, even small reductions in employee absence can produce considerable bottom-line benefits.

Chris Cooper and Natalie Harris are solicitors in the employment, pensions and benefits team at Maclay, Murray and Spens LLP