managing attendance effectively

Web: www.mtdtraining.com Telephone: 0800 849 6732

Managing Attendance Effectively

MTD Training, 5 Orchard Court, Binley Business Park, Coventry, CV3 2TQWeb: www.mtdtraining.com Phone: 0800 849 6732


Different Types of Absence

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Type of Absence Definition

Poor timekeeping Lateness on arrival and after breaksLeaving early

Short-term frequent absence Minor unrelated illnessesSeparate periods of absence, e.g. three or more in a rolling 12 month period

Short-term frequent absence (underlying cause)

Minor illnessesSeparate periods of absenceUnderlying medical conditionMay be obvious link, e.g. recurring migrainesLink may not be obvious, e.g. anaemic, underactive thyroid

Long-term absence Longer spell of absenceMore complicated medical condition requiring medication, or operation, and/or recuperation


Real Reasons for Absence

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What might the underlying causes of absence include?


Reasons for Absence

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Medical

• Minor illnesses, e.g. colds, stomach upsets

• Muscular-skeletal disorders (MSDs), e.g. back pain

• Stress: 13.5m days lost

• More complicated medical conditions

Social

• Family or caring responsibilities

• Employment relations

• Relationship problems with other employees/managers

• Personal problems

• Working patterns

Physiological• Unhappy

• Lack motivation

• Fears over job security and financial wellbeing


Presenteeism

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• During economic downturns, job security can result in presenteeism

• The feeling that:– you must show up for work, even if feeling ill– you need to work extra hours even if you have no

extra work to do

People may be working longer hours than ever before in order to secure their job and avoid the next round of redundancies –

all these anxieties can lead to significant stress.


Exercise

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Q: Think of a time when an attendance issue was either managed really effectively or really poorly. Perhaps it was a time when someone was supported exceptionally well, or not at all; or perhaps it was a time a manager dealt with an issue that had the potential to impact adversely on the team promptly and effectively, or maybe they avoided the issue and so did not support the individual or the team.


Absence Costs the Average Employer

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• Eight working days per employee each year *

• £666 per employee per year *

• £1000 per employee per year,* including indirect costs of absence, e.g.

– overtime payments to cover a colleague's absence

– employing and training a temporary worker to replace the absent colleague

• Cost to UK economy is £10-12 billion annually (ACAS)

• Increased team workloads

• Low morale among colleagues expected to take on extra work

• Reduced performance and productivity

• Missed deadlines due to a lack of trained, experienced employees

• Diminished reputation with customers and potential employees

• Lost business

* CIPD Absence Management Survey (July 2008).

Investing in a fit, motivated and productive workforce therefore makes good business sense!


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Investing in a fit, motivated and productive workforce makes good business sense

• Investing approx £70-£106 per employee per year in health and wellbeing support

• Average return on investment is around £3 for every £1 invested*

• = 200% return on investment per employee per year

• Returns typically realised 2-3 years into the wellness programme

• So, long-term investment, not short-term win

* Health management expert, Ron Goetzel


Case Study

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The Royal Mail Delivering on Absence

Management


A First Class Problem

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• In 2004, absence figures reached all time high • 7% of 196,000 workforce off at any one time• That’s almost 14,000 employees!• Productivity, service and profits all affected• Absence costing over £1m per day:

– overtime payments– temporary agency cover – reduced productivity – wages to absent employees


Following Extensive and Innovative Approach to Tackling Absence...

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• Dramatically reduced absence by almost one third, from 7% to 5%

• Over 3,600 previously absent employees supported back to work

• Resulted in greater productivity, better service and improved morale

• Saved the business over £227m over a three year period


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How Did They Achieve This Turnaround?


So What Did Royal Mail Do?

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• Adopted a holistic and robust approach to absence management

• Over £46m invested in key policies and initiatives designed to tackle the medical, social and physiological causes of absence


Outsourced Occupational Health

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Comprehensive medical service included:

• a 24/7 employee assistance programme helpline

• medical assessment (both telephone and face-to-face)

• occupational health referrals and counselling (all employees can have up to five sessions with a stress counsellor)

• workplace-based rehabilitation

• rapid-access to physiotherapy

• on-site health promotions (e.g. for smoking and back pain)

Moved from a culture of absence prevention towards rehabilitation


Comprehensive Training for Line Managers

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To improve their skills and confidence in implementing absence management policies:

• deliver effective and regular one-to-one absence discussions in the form of Work Time Listening and Learning (WTLL) sessions

• hold timely discussions regarding absence behaviour and patterns

• keep in regular contact during the period of absence

• implement return to work interviews

• keep accurate absence records (using a new online absence recording tool)


Other Initiatives

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• Raising awareness of well-being initiatives• New incentive schemes• Online health checking and assessment

services• Health training team• A pioneering attendance academy


Stress

• Largest contributor to the overall estimated annual work days lost from work-related ill health

• 13.5 million working days lost per annum• 30.6 working days lost per affected case


Shift and Share

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1. What creative, proactive solutions might improve attendance?

2. What other good practice actions should I consider?

3. How can I support the individual?

4. How can I support the team?


Poor Timekeeping

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Short-term Frequent Absence

Accounts for 80% of all absences


Statement of Fitness for Work

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• The government has introduced the ‘Statement of Fitness for Work’ (the ‘fit note’) to replace the sick note.

• As well as allowing doctors to advise that an employee is unfit for work, the statement also offers a new option – ‘may be fit for work’.

• A GP is now able to suggest ways of helping an employee get back to work. This might include an employer talking to an employee about a phased return to work or amended duties.


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Short-term Frequent Absence Underlying cause


Reducing Unscheduled Absence

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• Consider work–life balance measures– Be sensitive to potential life problems and stress

– Where possible, recognise the many conflicting priorities in people’s lives

– Consider the introduction of flexitime – it can have a huge impact on reducing the number of absent days lost

• Clearly explain roles, duties, projects and tasks– Duties or tasks that have not been explained properly are a common

cause of employee stress and time mismanagement

– Ensure all employees know what they are doing

– Regularly check on their progress to allow your staff to raise any questions or difficulties


Reducing Unscheduled Absence (cont.)

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• Simplify processes and administration– Look out for unnecessary bureaucracy

– Inefficient processes and administration may be increasing workloads, causing stress, increasing absenteeism and decreasing productivity

– Re-examine existing practices to determine whether or not these are really necessary

– Is there anything else you could do to lessen employees’ workloads?

• Encourage communication– Ensure channels of communication within your department are always

open

– Make sure you are kept abreast of any problems staff may be facing

– Discuss work–life balance issues with employees

– Generate new initiatives for reducing stress or managing time

– If your organisation provides in-house counselling on personal, financial and career issues, make sure that all your staff are aware of this service


Long-Term Absence

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Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)

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• All employers (except the armed forces) have duties under the DDA

• It is unlawful to discriminate against disabled people by treating disabled employees less favourably for a reason related to their disability without justification

• Employers are legally responsible for ensuring that discrimination does not occur in the workplace

• This includes the need to make reasonable adjustments to work arrangements and the working environment in order to accommodate disabled people with disabilities

• An employer who fails to comply with this duty will be guilty of discrimination, unless the employer can show justification


Reasonable Adjustments in the Workplace

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• Training and equipment, e.g. speech browser software installed onto computer

• Acquiring or modifying equipment, e.g. a specifically designed chair

• Modifying instructions or reference manuals, e.g. oral instruction may be provided

• Altering working hours, e.g. a person with side effects worse in the morning, is allowed to start work later in the day

• Allocating some of their duties to another person, e.g. a librarian cannot return books to high shelving - a colleague assists with this aspect of the work

• Transferring them to fill an existing vacancy, e.g. a sales rep has to give up driving. She is transferred to a vacant post requiring computer skills for which she is given training

• Assigning the disabled person to a different place of work, e.g. allowing home working during a period of rehabilitation

• Allowing absence during working hours for rehabilitation assessment or treatment

• Adjusting premises, e.g. the direction in which a door opens is altered for a wheelchair user


Issues for You Both to Consider

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• How effective will an adjustment be?

• Will it mean that the disability is slightly less of a disadvantage or will it significantly reduce the disadvantage?

• Is it practical?

• Will it cause much disruption?

• Will it help other people in the workplace?

• Is it affordable?

• Employers can get advice on appropriate adjustments and possibly some financial help towards the cost of the adjustments through The Access to Work programme run by Jobcentre Plus.


Return to Work Conversation - Purpose

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• Welcome employees back

• Check they are well enough to be at work

• Identify the cause of the absence

• Discuss the details of an agreed return to work based on advice given by the GP in the Statement of Fitness for Work

• Find out whether they have a disability and whether the provisions of the DDA apply, such as making a reasonable adjustment

• Establish if their sickness is work related

• Establish if there are any health and safety issues you need to address

• Tease out any other problems an employee may have – at work or at home

• Discuss how they can get back to a normal work routine as quickly as possible

• Update employees on any news while they were off

Extract: ACAS booklet: Managing Attendance and Labour Turnover, p9.


How do I Prepare for a Return to Work Discussion?

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• The discussion is confidential so find a quiet place without any distractions

• Have everything to hand at the meeting: employee’s records; notes of any discussions; advice from their GP on the ‘Statement of Fitness for Work’

• Be prepared to discuss the employee’s absence in detail including any emerging patterns

• Consider how a return to work will work in practice – What kind of questions will you ask?

• What does your absence policy say? If the employee is returning from a period of long-term sickness, plan a ‘getting back to work’ programme

• What issues might crop up during the interview?

• For example, it might be worth familiarising yourself with the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) stress standards – visit www.hse.gov.uk/stress for more details

• Consider how you would respond to a request for flexible working or a phased return to work

• Explain when the interview will take place and the purpose of the discussion

Source: ACAS booklet: Managing Attendance and Labour Turnover, p10.


Return to Work Conversation

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• The majority of such discussions will be informal and brief

• Explore how the employee feels about returning to work

• Be positive about the employee’s value to the organisation

• Explore how a return to work will work in practice

• Ask your employee what information they would like shared with their work colleagues

• Be reassuring throughout

• Update the employee about any changes since they’ve been away – like progress on any jobs they were working on, changes to the team, etc.

• What are the options for the future? Discuss all the options and focus on positive outcomes. Where appropriate the employee may agree to be referred to your organisation’s medical officer or to an occupational health therapist

• In some instances you might have to take disciplinary action if you are unhappy with the explanations for the absences or poor timekeeping. Have an open mind, agree a shared action plan where possible but don’t make any hasty decisions at the meeting

• If you are considering disciplinary action, or if it becomes apparent that a return to work is not looking feasible in the foreseeable future, it is strongly recommended you consult your HR department before you agree to or take any action

• Take a short note of the ground covered

Source: ACAS booklet: Managing Attendance and Labour Turnover, p10.


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