Absence Management
The cost of absences from work, which includes covering salaries of absent staff, paying overtime and providing temporary cover, rose to over £500 per employee in 2005. In total, this amounts to a £13 billion cost to the UK economy and well over 100 million working days lost according to a survey of over 400 organisations.
In addition, managing the often complex issues of discrimination as well understanding the ever-widening employee rights under the Disability Discrimination Act can result in situations which are potentially damaging and financially very costly for any organisation.
The good news is that attendance at work can be improved, sometimes quite significantly, producing a positive impact throughout the whole organisation.
Introducing an absence management process, or indeed revitalising an existing one, requires considerable planning, consultation and communication. The benefits though are many and affect more than just the bottom line.
In general, an effective Absence Management process involves:
- Measuring and monitoring levels of absence to produce accurate data
- Dealing with sickness and unauthorised absence promptly and consistently
- Ensuring that line management is fully involved in managing attendance at work and is accepting of their responsibility
- Developing trust in the process
- Providing demonstrable support for those individuals who need it
Benson Payne will work with you to establish an effective Absence Management process (or reinvigorate existing procedures) that demonstrates these characteristics and:
- Is seen to be sympathetic to, and supportive of, your workforce
- Encourages attendance at work
- Provides transparency for your staff in their understanding of what the organisation expects of them (see HR Policies)
To gain more information on this important topic or discuss how an ABSENCE MANAGEMENT process can benefit your business, contact us
Human Resource Management & Strategy
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