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How many times have employees called in to say they can’t make it into the office? If you’re like a standard business, the answer is around five to nine per worker, which is a lot if you have a large number of people in your care. As far as productivity goes, you can kiss goodbye to the idea of keeping up with deadlines, and some workers will have to suffer from a bigger workload.
The worst-case scenario is that some projects are postponed indefinitely, and you have no idea when they’ll restart. All of this is unhealthy for your bottom line because you’re paying team members to perform tasks that they can’t, which is a bad investment. And, if your company has limited resources anyway, it’s not as if you can afford to waste money.
Reducing absenteeism in the workplace is a job that bosses have been trying to perfect for decades, with varying degrees of effectiveness. After all, you must be sympathetic since this isn’t the 19th-century. Still, it’s vital to smooth out the process to ensure there aren’t any hitches in the future. There are no guarantees, not with sickness, yet the following should help you to limit the damage.
Reduce IIF
IIF stands for Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports there are enough of these incidents to result in 420.870 sick days annually. Therefore, reducing these types of accidents could realistically save you a lot of time and money regarding your employees’ health. After all, a lot of them are unnecessary – sprains and strains account for a large percentage of the quoted figure.
Therefore, it’s essential to take health and safety in the workplace more seriously than ever and evaluate every problem on your radar. Of course, you won’t eliminate IIF entirely as life is unpredictable and you can’t account for unforeseen circumstances. Still, you should act quickly and decisively concerning the issues you can see.
To do this, it’s essential to have a culture of reporting in the office. That way, a worker will make you aware of a safety flaw, giving you the chance to create a solution. Also, people require training on how to behave in a fast-paced environment, even if you assume it’s self-explanatory.
The more you drill the information into peoples’ heads, the sooner they’ll start to apply it in real-time to avoid accidents and injuries.
Consider Social Distancing
Was the term ‘social distancing’ even a thing before Covid-19? It’s hard to tell because not many people can remember a time pre-Coronavirus! Yet, if there is a silver lining to the pandemic, it’s the light the health crisis has shone on gestures the world once took for granted. A handshake or a hug is the epitome of something that won’t be the same post-Covid.
With this in mind, you can leverage social distancing measures in the office to help avoid the spread of germs and bacteria. Merely moving a desk a couple of feet away from a neighboring surface limits the likelihood of contracting an illness by 95%. This negates ‘flu season’ when somebody goes down with a cough or cold and spreads it to their peers.
There is a caveat – you shouldn’t use social distancing as an excuse to prevent people from interacting. Yes, remaining one to two meters away will stop the spread of nasty ailments, but it doesn’t mean colleagues can’t talk with each other. Telling them to work in silence is a slippery slope as it could destroy team morale.
Once this happens, you’ll have bigger problems to worry about than absenteeism.
Tweak The Balance Between Life and Work
Unfortunately, it might be the company that is to blame for so many people taking sick leave. If you’re wondering why it’s because the link between illness and a balance between work and life is evident. People who are happier are healthier, physically, and mentally, and don’t require as many sick days.
The first port of call is to consider how you can be more flexible with working hours. For instance, some employers are happy for workers to decide their own shifts, as long as they complete a set number of hours. You might be different, yet it’s essential to listen to gripes about the structure and respond accordingly.
Another factor is the perks on offer. When benefits are money-based – an end of year bonus or rise – you encourage your staff to work too hard. After all, any time off could affect their earnings, so they’ll work themselves to the bone. But, if the perks are lifestyle-orientated, such as a free gym membership or extra vacation allocation, you’ll see the wellbeing of the office transform.
A person’s health is the foundation of their work ethic and ability to regularly show up on time. As such, you shouldn’t underestimate the impact of investing in employees’ lives outside of the office since it could pay you back ten-fold in the long run.
Offer Absenteeism Rewards
If this sounds counterproductive considering the last tip, please give it a chance. After all, some people value their commitment through their work ethic and are happy and content to be consistent. They should be rewarded as it’s a sign of a good job well done and will encourage them to continue the trend.
On the other hand, the less enthusiastic members of the group might benefit from a dose of competitiveness. Challenging the status quo could be the boost they need to grind through the days when they aren’t feeling one-hundred-percent. Overall, the team spirit within the company should benefit from such rewards.
Of course, there are caveats. Again, it’s vital to remind people that they are allowed to take sick leave. If they aren’t well enough to come in and contagious, they should stay at home. Also, don’t forget to make the process fair. For example, it’s wrong to take vacation leave into consideration.
Not only is holiday time a legal obligation, but it’s a structured way to promote health and wellbeing seen as you have some control over the timing and length.
Support People Who Are Struggling
Anyone who is unfortunate enough to have invasive treatments and surgeries wants to get back to their normal routine as soon as possible. That includes work as a job offers structure and stability while alleviating the boredom with no responsibilities. Even though the problem might be a long-term thing, it doesn’t mean you can’t get out in front of it from the beginning.
For example, workers who require surgery will get it more quickly if their employer covers their medical expenses. And, the sooner they receive the treatment to fix the problem, the quicker they’ll return to the workplace. Don’t worry about the cost because the company’s exposure is covered by workers compensation insurance.
It’s tempting to focus on the physical, yet the mental aspects are just as impactful. Therefore, the same applies to anybody who is struggling with mental health issues such as depression. If they are struggling to juggle family life and work, you can pay for therapy sessions to enable them to understand the root cause.
The example you set is imperative. When employees see you helping a coworker, they know they don’t have to suffer in silence and can speak to you straight away.
Talk To People With Short-Term Absences
It’s the short-term absences you want to nip in the bud as they are difficult to cover. If somebody calls in at 8:55 am on a Monday morning, you don’t have much time to restructure the day to negate the side-effects. Also, there are causes behind short-term illnesses you might be able to solve.
The key is not to accuse anyone of wrongdoing or act as if you’re trying to catch them out in any way. It’s about the bigger picture, which means you want to look to the future and not the past. With that in mind, you should talk to your workers who are regularly absent for short periods and inquire if everything is okay.
Let them know they can speak to you openly and that you’re not going to yell or pass judgment. Think of it as an amnesty. Moving forward, flaky employees understand they have to be more responsible, and they have assistance from their boss, while you can cut out the behavior.
A healthy conversation is firm and fair. That means you can put your point of view across, as can the other side, yet both parties need to be polite and respectful to one another.
Summary
There are occasions when employees are wrong for taking sick leave. But, these instances are few and far between. Therefore, you should avoid creating a culture of fear and guilt. Instead, the foundation for reducing absenteeism in the workplace is to offer support and encourage open and honest dialogue.
When you do, you’ll find it easier to compromise. And, there shouldn’t be a problem with the team’s morale, either.
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