Still far from all organizations, have established absenteeism policies. Not even those who are required to do so by laws and regulations. We help quite a few companies, organizations and local governments create good policies in that area, and sometimes the start of it is in very simple things, such as raising the threshold for people to call in sick. Because practice shows that companies that ask people to call in sick by phone have fewer sick calls than companies where this can be quickly communicated via WhatsApp.
The main goal? Preventing absenteeism
A good absence policy includes the responsibilities of both the employer and the employee. The main goal is to work together to prevent an employee from dropping out. And that starts with good prevention, such as a healthy lifestyle, not too much stress, sleeping well, no to moderate alcohol consumption, maintaining good social contacts et cetera. But the way the employer sets up its interview cycle, then conducts these interviews and the tone in which feedback is given also play into it. In short, low absenteeism is something you are all responsible for.
Reducing your absenteeism? That could be as early as tomorrow
There are quite a few aspects you can pick up to prevent people from dropping out. And if people do drop out, there are also numerous tools to ensure that people return to work as quickly as possible. Fine for the employer because he is not missing out on labor productivity. Fine for the employee, because staying in the daily routine as much as possible, no matter how small-scale and minimal, is still always healthier than staying in bed with the curtains closed.
Investing in structurally lower absenteeism pays off
Of course, it is highly desirable to actively work to reduce absenteeism that has already occurred within your organization, but it is better to be preventive on this front. And one way to do that is to make good use of regulations and guidelines set by you as an employer. As mentioned, it starts with drafting a good absence policy in which the obligations on both sides are clearly described. Furthermore, as an employer, you can ensure as much as possible a safe working environment where there is a pleasant atmosphere and people feel engaged. When you get that right, it pays off. As an employer, you could therefore really see it as an investment in structurally lower absenteeism. Nice side benefit, by the way, is that you score higher on employee satisfaction which also increases your production capacity.
Briefly
Of course, we realize that a short blog does not lend itself to “quickly” solving your sick leave problem. So we don’t pretend to. But what we do know for sure is that there are numerous actions you can take quickly and simply to actually reduce absenteeism. We are happy to talk you through the possibilities, both the options we have for you and the options you can carry out yourself. And we promise: there are no open doors in there, but mostly eye openers. Call or email. We are here for you.
