As we get closer to the holidays, cold and flu season, how do managers deal with absenteeism? We’re at a time of year when there are lots of stressors and better likelihood of illness, but work does tend to go on regardless. What can managers do to reduce the inconvenience of having people out unexpectedly?
Although time of year can make a difference, in many companies, absenteeism is a year-round concern. One of the first things to do is to determine what absenteeism looks like in your department/company. How consistent is your staff in calling out at the last minute?
Does this happen throughout the year or are there seasonal patterns? Have you looked at the numbers factually as opposed to emotionally?
The good thing is that absenteeism can be analyzed. If you’re tracking who calls out when, you can look and see if there really are patterns or if it’s seemingly random. If you’re not tracking it, I’d encourage you to start. You can learn things from the data and it might surprise you. The data can help you determine if there is no problem or if it’s worse than you thought.
If absenteeism is constant, meaning your staff are often absent without notice, you need to look at the culture to see if there’s something driving it. Does your staff feel supported? Are they out due to personal issues or does it seem more likely to be related to what’s happening at work at the time? Do you have a policy that makes a difference or is it not consistently followed, or it encourages broader use?
Do you award attendance? If so, what sort of message is that providing? Are people coming to work sick? Or is resentment building either for those who are never out or for those who don’t get whatever reward you’re providing? Could efforts be better spent changing the culture to make it more inviting for all, meaning employees want to come to work, whether it’s because they’re part of a strong team or have passion for what they’re doing or whatever drivers they need.
Absenteeism, especially at the last minute, can be inconvenient at the least and disastrous at worst. If you’re not gathering data, do so. It’s easy to make assumptions based on how we feel; that’s not always reality. And in the meantime, remind your staff how valuable they are to your organization. Talk about cold and flu precautions and provide them with whatever resources you have to encourage wellness.
Tis the season to call out. Let’s see what we can do to change that!
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