Time and attendance tracking is an important function of the HR department. Representatives have to ensure that the staff is showing up to work on a regular basis, if not every day. While the occasional absence or vacation day is accounted for by including sick days and paid time off in the employee benefits program, the company can't allow its contributors to miss a great deal of time.
A recent CareerBuilder survey reveals that 32 percent of people skip work even when they aren't sick. Read on for three tips that will help you limit absenteeism.
Have a hard cap for sick days
You may think you're doing the staff a favor by giving them unlimited sick days, but you may actually be setting yourself up for a disaster. For one, employees will know that they can miss days whenever they want without any repercussions. Second, there may be times when large groups skip the same day, leaving you severely understaffed.
In most establishments, five sick days per year should be sufficient. If an employee falls grievously ill or is injured, you can put them on leave of absence until they can return to work. The company's policy for this should be included in the employee handbook.
Offer more vacation for attendance
According to Small Business Administration, incentive plans can help reduce absenteeism in the workplace. One way you can implement this approach is by giving the staff additional vacation days when they don't use their sick time. For instance, if a worker goes a whole year without missing a day, he or she can be granted two extra days of paid time off the following year.
Allow working from home
If you institute a work-from-home policy, you can ensure that employees won't take sick days and projects won't be delayed by absences. Instead having to miss work entirely, staff members can stay home and recuperate while remaining productive. This may be the best solution for both the company and its workforce.
Start a wellness program
Perhaps the best way to deal with absenteeism is to take an active approach to the problem. Institute an employee wellness program and encourage staff members to take better care of themselves than they currently do. This will help improve their immune systems so they'll fall ill less frequently.