Tips for dealing with short-term absences

This is a time of year when short-term absences tend to increase, due to common winter illnesses like flu.

However, firms may also be looking at a rise in them come spring, as Employment Rights Bill changes come into effect. That makes having a strategy for managing them more essential than ever.

Why it can be a problem

Short-term absences can leave other staff members facing heavier workloads and more stress. They can also lead to deadlines being missed for projects, which can affect your profits and reputation. So what should you do?

Craft the right absence management policy

Putting together a policy that fits your company is the first step, and it is a job for HR. If you do not have an HR team, consider outsourcing it to HR services in Hertfordshire. A solid policy will cover everything from monitoring and reporting absences to interviews when people come back. It requires real expertise.

Track attendance rates

Companies need to have systems for absence tracking and reporting. Cloud-based ones are obvious choices, as a lot of the routine admin will be automated.

Put proper processes in place

An employee who is going be absent for illness or any other reason should be encouraged to report this by telephone on the same morning. When they return, they should be interviewed to make sure they are well enough to cope with their responsibilities.

At FiveRivers Consulting, we can provide an employee relations consultant in Hertfordshire to help with things like return-to-work interviews. Get in touch for more details.