We approach the time of year when the clocks go back, adverts promoting medicine and flu jabs… and we wave goodbye to the summer and autumn months. I am now reminded of what can employers do to promote honesty and transparency around absences, between themselves and their employees.
Absence from work cost businesses millions of pounds each year. Not only for those employed but for the wider population as well – in lost income, and the NHS clogged up by people seeing their GP.
Some argue that by having the flu jab it protects you from catching dreaded winter sickness bugs and flus, but what can employers do to protect themselves and their employees? MikeHAbbott.com takes a practical look at what employees and employees can do to work more openly in the coming, colder months.
1) How flexible have you been throughout the year supporting employees in getting the work/life balance right? (for example, when they wanted time off to do something outside their holiday allocation, family party, or that special occasion).
I once heard of someone that phoned-in work to go off sick just to go shopping with their partner. How sad is it that they didn’t have the decency to inform their employee of their real intention? Does your absence policy support you, or handcuff you to not being flexible enough and is it covered in more red tape? Yes, it is frustrating when you are a small business covering holidays etc., but have you been flexible enough when they have gone the extra mile for you?
2) How do you deal with genuine absences, and find out the truth of things happening in your employees lives? Real listening comes to mind and is a great starting place. Have you taken the time to find out what is really occurring in your employees lives? Yes, I agree there is a fine balance between getting the job done and not becoming an agony aunt – but taking a few minutes getting to know about your employees problems is imperative!
3) We all get sick from time to time, so how do you find out how long they are going to be off with a short absence? Personally, I think by asking the right question and being curious is a great starting place – open questions. “How long is it before you will be returning to work?”, “Do you think by taking a tablet for that migraine you will be in later today?” These can help, and though simple enough you may say, too often I have heard managers berating staff at the end of the line.
4) What about those individuals going in for a planned operation, and have been waiting months for their allotted slot? Whether it is sitting down and discussing the period of time they will be absence from work, how to keep in touch to find out how they are doing, being genuinely interested… all these things go a long way in the emotional bank balance. Too often employers lose out in doing the small things right, especially when employees return to work and require a programme and support plan. Many line managers need to learn that some day they may need an operation, and coming back after a long period of time can be daunting for employees.
5) Do you provide hot drinks and an office with effective heating? Staff say it how it is: “management have never fixed the heating for years!”, “no one listens!”. As goes the old saying, you reap what you have sown!
6) Finally, how do you ensure that your absence policy deals with those who abuse the system – and supports those that genuinely need it? Walking this tightrope can be difficult, and if not done right, can cause more expense and loss of production.
MikeHAbbott.com can help with the right absence check-up to ensure that your business keeps running this winter!
(Does your absence policy work? When was the last time you reviewed it? How flexible is it? What does it do – put employees in fear and trepidation when they are genially sick, or make them resort to lying?)