ABSENTEEISM - How to Present/Steps to take

Preventing

You can use these training materials to help teach your supervisors:

 What you can do to prevent absenteeism-related problems:

Adopting a systematic approach.
Creating and coordinating project team.
Administering clear tasks and responsibilities.
Ensuring the support of senior and line management.
Involving employees actively.
Involving the personnel department, company medical service or external guidance.



Steps to take when dealing with absenteeism

Initial Warning
Written Warning
Suspension
Discharge

Verbal Warning
Meet with the employee face to face and talk to them about the problem. Advise the employee that his/her attendance record must improve and be maintained at an improved level. Then let them know that further disciplinary action will be the result. Offer any counselling or guidance that an employee may need only to certain circumstances. Give further verbal warnings as required. Do checks on the employees attendance and make note of noticeable changes. If absenteeism continues then proceed to a written warning.

Written Warning
Meet with the employee again. Show the employee the record that you have been keeping track of, that there has been no noticeable (or sufficient) improvement. Give the employee a chance to give their reason for the lack of improvement. If you do not like the reasoning then issue a written warning. Insure the employee is aware of why this warning was given. Then have to copies made, one will go to the employee and the other will go into the employees files. If warnings are not good enough then you may proceed to suspension.

Suspension (only after consulting with the appropriate supervisors)
If the absenteeism persists, after the next interview period and immediately following an absence, the employee should be interviewed and advised that he/she is to be suspended. The length of the suspension will depend on how server the problem has become and the explanation of the employee. the final step which should only be the resort is dismissal.

Dismissal (only after consulting with the appropriate supervisors)
Dismissals should only be considered when all of the above steps and procedures have been met. The employee, upon displaying no satisfactory improvement, would be dismissed on the grounds of his/her unwillingness to correct his/her absence record.

Cost of Absenteeism

Cost to the Employer



Administrative costs associated with rescheduling staff or hiring staff.

Payroll costs for temporary staff.

Training costs associated with introducing temporary staff to the organisation.

Reduced productivity - managers may have to shut down departments or reduce operations to compensate for a reduction in staffing levels.

Overtime may have to be scheduled to fill positions left by absent staff.

Added cost of training supervisors in the cost of absenteeism.

Many organization average the total number of absent days and schedule extra staff to cover - overstaffing to compensate for the lost productivity.

Insurance claims and legal fees associated with absent employees as a result of an accident at work.

Cost of time - how much does it cost the company every time an employee is away from their desk due to dentist / doctor appointments.

Costs associated with statutory sick pay and the increasing administrative work faced by payroll drive up costs.

The Causes of Absenteeism

The causes of absenteeism may include:

serious accidents and illness
low morale
poor working conditions
boredom on the job
lack of job satisfaction
inadequate leadership and poor supervision
personal problems (financial, marital, substance abuse, child care etc.)
poor physical fitness
transportation problems
the existence of income protection plans (collective agreement )
benefits which continue income during periods of illness or accident.)
stress
workload
employee discontent with the work environment

Most if not all of these causes can be prevented by taking a positive approach to things. By showing the employees that you care, you can help lower absenteeism in the work place.

Absenteeism

Absenteeism can be defined as a constant absence from work. It can lead to suspension from work or termination depending on the circumstances. Managers try to fight absenteeism through disciplinary measures.











Stats about Absenteeism

According to the labour force survey, absenteeism has risen extensively in the past years. It was estimated that 700,000 of full time employees, which is about 7% of the total market, were absent for any given week. The absence of these employees was due to illness, disabilities or family obligations. On average about 8.5 days were lost to absenteeism. In the past years it was only 7 days.