Absence Management

To be used in conjunction with the 1st Class HR ‘Absence Management’ Management Guide available at www.1stclasshr.co.uk

This session focuses on the practical steps that an organisation can take to

promote positive attendance.

Learning Objectives

• To learn how to measure and manage absence effectively

• To understand the roles and responsibilities of staff and managers

• To learn how to develop and implement an absence management policy effectively

• To understand the legal context

Managing absence effectively

Effective absence management involves finding a balance between providing support to help employees with health problems stay in and

return to work and taking consistent and firm action against employees who try to take

advantage of organisations’ policies and sickness pay schemes.

Managing absence effectively

There are many reasons why people take time off work. These can be categorised as:

• short-term sickness absence• long-term sickness absence• unauthorised absence or persistent lateness• other authorised absences, e.g. annual leave; maternity,

paternity, adoption, or parental leave; time off for public duties.

Line manager responsibilities

Line managers are responsible for monitoring and managing absence levels in their teams / departments, and for ensuring that potential problems are recognised and resolved at an early stage. They should:

1. report all absences correctly2. clearly record and monitor all activities associated with managing the

employee’s absence, including telephone calls, visits and referrals to Occupational Health appointments

3. communicate regularly and openly4. conduct return-to-work interviews5. offer reasonable adjustments and support6. involve occupational health professionals when appropriate7. initiate disciplinary proceeding when absence levels are unacceptable

Staff responsibilities

Employees have a duty under their terms and conditions of employment to be at work and must ensure they adhere to their responsibilities.

1. report absence as early as possible to their line manager2. make contact personally by telephone, not by text or e-mail3. provide the following information to their line manager when they report

their absence:• when they became ill • the broad nature of the illness • whether the illness is due to an accident or injury at work • whether they will be seeking medical attention • the likely date of return (if known)

4. obtain a Fit Note from a GP (after 8 calendar days) and provide this to the line manager

5. follow medical advice / treatment in order to facilitate a prompt return to work.

Measuring absence effectively

Accurate measurement and monitoring of absence is a critical part of managing it effectively, and allows an employer to identify trends and causes for concern. It also allows employers to understand and address the overall cost of absence and its impact on the business.

Tools to measure absence

Time lost ratio

expresses the percentage of total time available which has been lost due to absence

total absence (hours or days) divided by total possible (hours or days) in the period X 100

e.g. 2 (days) / 5 (days) X 100 = 40%

Tools to measure absence

Frequency ratio

shows the average number of absences per employee expressed as a percentage

number of spells of absence in the period divided by the number of employees X 100

e.g. 3 (spells) / 10 (employees) X 100 = 30%

Tools to measure absence

Bradford factor

by measuring the number of spells of absence the Bradford Factor identifies persistent short-term absence for individuals and is

therefore a useful measure of the disruption caused by this type of absence

number of spells of absence in a period x number of spells of absence in a period x number of days of absence in a period (or A x A x D)

e.g. 2 three day absences: 2 x 2 x 6 = 24 OR 3 two days absences: 3 x 3 x 6 = 36.

What should be in an effective policy?

• responsibilities of line managers and employees when an absence occurs

• description of the culture of the organisation, i.e. supportive, sensitive and compassionate

• provision for occupational sick pay and/or statutory sick pay• what and when information will be required and recorded• explanation that the organisation reserves the right to require

employees to attend an examination by a company doctor and (with the worker’s consent) to request a report from the employee’s doctor

• provisions for return-to-work arrangements, including a return-to-work interview and reasonable adjustments where applicable

• how and when the disciplinary (or other) policy will be used to manage absence

Implementing the policy

Always adopt a consultative approach to developing and implementing a policy…

This means talking to staff and managers, seeking their input and being flexible to adapt the policy to meet the needs of the organisation and the requirements of staff. The policy is more likely to be received well, properly understood and will therefore work better in practice.

You can achieve this by holding focus groups/briefings and training sessions with staff and managers.

The legal context

It is important that all line managers responsible for managing absence are aware of and understand the requirements of an employer as set out in the following legislation:

• Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)• Health and Safety at Work etc. Act (HSWA) 1974 • The Employee Rights Act 1996 • Data Protection Act 1998

Promoting good health and wellbeing

TOP TIP…

Establish a culture where the health and wellbeing of staff is promoted pro-actively so that employees feel enthusiastic about coming into work. This can be achieved through initiatives such as:• Staff sporting / competitive activities• Subsidised fruit and drinking water facilities• Annual ‘wellbeing week’

Learning Outcomes

You are now able to…

• measure and manage absence effectively• develop and implement an absence management

policy effectively

You now know/understand…

• the roles and responsibilities of staff and managers

• the legal context

Thank you

For more information about absence management, including a sample policy

and procedure, go to www.1stclasshr.co.ukOr call on 01362 680009.