'How To' Guide for Absence Management
- 1. Absence Management Employee absence can have a significant impact on employers. How can you manage absences more effectively? What is absence management? ' H O W T O ' G U I D E F O R . . . We'll be covering... What absence management is Why it's important to get it right The way an organisation chooses to address employee absence can be dependent on preference. For example, some organisations focus their efforts on improving health and wellbeing, whereas others will emphasise disciplinary procedures for excessive absence. Support the health needs of employees Provide guidance around correct absence procedures Detail appropriate use of sick pay schemes Factor in the legal positions of unauthorised absence Primarily, absence management policies are meant to cover how absence can affect an organisation and the employees within it! The purpose of absence management Absence management is designed to: Employees will inevitably need to take time off for a variety of reasons, which can range from short-term sickness or long-term health issues. Did you know? In 2020, absenteeism cost UK businesses £14bn which is an increase of £1.3bn from 2019 figures! Sources: https://www.hrreview.co.uk/hr-news/mental-health-related-absenteeism-cost-uk-14-billion-in-2020/131667 https://www.cipd.co.uk/Images/health-wellbeing-work-report-2021_tcm18-93541.pdf The main causes of sickness absence, according to a CIPD report: Mental ill health Stress Minor illnesses Back pain and musculoskeletal injuries Recurring medical conditions The legal stuff How to manage absence
- 2. Juggling so many demands in an already demanding job is hardly going to be easy! Source: https://www.e-days.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/e-days_Absence-risk-profile- report.pdf W h y i t ' s i m p o r t a n t t o g e t i t r i g h t . . . Getting absence management wrong can be costly. A reactive/negative absence culture A lack of support around absence as a result of a reactive/negative absence culture can have detrimental effects on employee wellbeing and engagement. A reactive/negative absence culture refers to a culture in which employees feel as though they can't be honest about their reasons for being off from work, or that they lack support around absence. This is often due to an approach that views absence merely as a problem, rather than an opportunity to address employee health and wellbeing properly. A business that approaches absence as something that is negative and needs to be reduced will almost always be contending with issues around absence, as the culture prevents employees from being open and honest about their absences. Reduced honesty & trust The cost of poor absence management Without proactive and supportive absence management, employees are likelier to lie about their reasoning for absence and are also less engaged. 24% of workers would take sickness as annual leave to avoid having to answer questions 50% of workers would not be honest about a genuine absence reason 18% of workers feel as though they are unable to trust their boss Put simply, a healthy employee is generally a happy one. A business dealing with a high number of unplanned absences is likely to be in dire need of a re-evaluation of their current practices and priorities.
- 3. H o w d o y o u g e t a b s e n c e m a n a g e m e n t r i g h t ? Be proactive, clear and supportive A good absence management policy includes: A clear absence process When an employee is off, who do they need to tell, how do they tell it, and by what time? E.g., is there a HR system where absences must be logged by 9am? Details on how absence is measured and recorded If you don't track absence, you can't manage it.. Whether you use a software or do it manually, recording absences and being able to spot patterns is essential. Return to work procedure If an employee is returning to work after a long absence, what is the procedure? This might be a return to work interview or the involvement of occupational health services. Information on sick days and disciplinary action Are employees aware of their sick pay eligibility? Employees need to know at which point frequent/excessive absence will lead to disciplinary action. Now we've covered that...
- 4. A b s e n c e m a n a g e m e n t 1 0 1 It's time to get it right Employers will be contending with both short-term and long-term absences, each requiring their own approach and procedures. A long-term absence is generally defined as an absence lasting longer than 4 weeks. Long-term absence In these cases, a formal return to work process is necessary, and an awareness of the legality when it comes to potential disability discrimination issues. A short-term absence usually lasts under a a week. Short-term absence As mentioned in earlier sections, common reasons for short-term absence are minor illnesses, mental health, and musculoskeletal issues. Authorised absences Authorised absences include: • Annual leave • Maternity, paternity, adoption, or parental leave • Time off for public or trade union duties, or to care for dependents • Compassionate leave • Educational leave What does the law say? The law requires employers to provide staff with information on any terms and conditions relating to incapacity for work due to sickness or injury, including any provision for sick pay. It speaks to your wider culture In some workplaces, employers are having to contend with employees abusing the sick pay system. In others, employees are coping with presenteeism because of a fear of taking time off. There are necessities for every workplace when it comes to absence management, and then the optional measures to implement that are dependent on the business (e.g., flexible working).
- 5. This act covers areas relating to the employee's contract and includes areas like unfair dismissal, and the termination of employment on ill-health grounds, including considerations around: Conduct: e.g., where absence is persistent, unauthorised or found to be dishonest. Capability: e.g., where the employee's absence affects their ability to do their job. Other significant reasons: e.g., where the absence negatively affects the business What legal obligations do you have? The Employment Rights Act 1996 The Equality Act 2010 This act covers different types of discrimination and applies to protected characteristics, such as disability. This includes not treating someone less favourably due to their disability in any way: UK employers have a responsibility to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate the needs of a person with a disability, keeping their role and specific needs in mind. Though the classification of a disability may be unclear for many employees at first, the Equality Act details that in order to be classified as disabled, symptoms must be substantial and long-term (lasting 12 months or more). Generally, it is good practice to always support employees as if they are protected by the Equality Act when making decisions around work adjustments. The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 This act places a duty on employers to ensure (as is reasonably expected) the health, safety and welfare of employees, including considerations: • Where the design and management of work exacerbates the employee's health condition • Where a worker's health condition makes them or others more vulnerable to workplace risks or where the impact of work adjustments could affect the work and health of others. Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) Employees are entitled to a minimum of £96.35 per week (from April 2021) in Statutory Sick Pay from the fourth consecutive day of absence up to 28 weeks. Employees are eligible for SSP if they: • If they have been off work for at least 4 consecutive days in a row (including non-working days). • Earn on average at least £140 per week. • Have told their employer that they are unable to work before the deadline set in their contract (or within seven days if this is not specified).
- 6. Phased return to work Amended duties Altered hours Workplace adaptations H o w t o m a n a g e a b s e n c e Return to work interviews Now it's time to take action! Return to work interviews are still one of the most common absence management interventions. They can act as a deterrent to non-genuine absence, and smoothly manage people's return. Return to work interviews act as the perfect opportunity to identify any underlying issues causing absence, and to enable HR and line managers to put any necessary measures in place. Fit notes/fitness for work When a doctor completes a fit note, they determine whether an employee is or isn't fit for a return to work. This is after an absence of more than 7 days in a row. If an employee is deemed fit for work, there are four options to select from: If an employee is assessed as fit for work, the employer should arrange a meeting to discuss their return and support them with any adjustments, and consider the involvement of occupational health. For longer absences, however, employers may need to consider other options to minimise absence and the negative impact it can have. Flexible working Flexible working has certainly been on the agenda for more businesses as a result of the pandemic, yet its impact on absence is often ignored. Giving employees greater flexibility around their working schedule allows greater work/life balance, which is essential in combatting burnout. Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) EAPs are designed to reduce absence through offering support to employees, covering a range of personal and work issues. Counselling may be offered to address: mental health, stress management, dating and marriage, family or work relationships, financial concerns.
- 7. Keep in contact The last thing you want is for your unwell employee to feel excluded and isolated. Employers and line managers should make an effort to make sensitive contact with an employee in the absence and return to work process. H o w t o m a n a g e a b s e n c e Things to keep in mind Plan and implement reasonable adjustments When considering reasonable adjustments, planning should be a high priority. The employee should be collaborated with to this end. This is also an ideal time to seek the advice of an occupational health professional to make adjustments that could be beneficial in the long-term. The importance of line managers Line managers can help returning employees with access to or information around any adjustments. They can also encourage fellow employees to offer practical and emotional support - this is all part of a supportive case management approach. A supportive case management approach A proactive approach to health and wellbeing at large ties into how absence is managed in any business. This means that the involvement of HR, occupational health, and the individual employee's line manager is essential. This approach means that the areas mentioned above can be addressed in a coherent, collaborative fashion without any potential lapses in communication. In a nutshell Managing absences can be difficult for an organisation, particularly since they require the involvement of multiple individuals in order to be successful. However, for employees to return to work safely, they need to be supported and absence management policies need to be flexible and accommodate individual needs, include line management, and allow access to any necessary adjustments.
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