Managing Absenteeism in the Workplace: An Old problem with a Modern Impact
Managing absenteeism in the workplace has been a challenge for as long as companies have been in business. This creates challenges with staffing, but the impact on the bottom line can be challenging to fully grasp. In the modern workplace of today, technology is used everywhere to improve efficiencies and profits. Absence management is no exception, and solutions are now available to best manage this ongoing concern.
When employees do not come to work, it creates a ripple effect that is felt throughout all departments. Staffing takes an obvious hit and the employees who are at work have to pick up the slack. This may lead to calling in additional employees and using overtime, just to get through the day. The additional workload that falls onto the employees that are at work, can cause them to become resentful towards their peers that have chronic attendance problems. This can bring down the morale of the whole workforce, especially if there is not any obvious accountability. Most companies have an attendance policy and corrective action that corresponds with it, but they struggle to administer it consistently or fairly. It is easy to get disorganized with frequent tardy occurrences and absences that just end up getting lost in the shuffle.
The reasons for employee absenteeism are the true indicators of bigger problems within an organization though. When someone does not show up for their shift or they call in, it is a conscious decision not to come in that day. Although things come up that are important and unavoidable for everyone, some people appear to have more problems compared to everyone else. Some common excuses for absences include car trouble, not feeling well, traffic and oversleeping the shift. Companies with frequent issues with managing absenteeism in the workplace would do well to research why their employees do not want to come to work.
Employees want to be held accountable and made aware of how their work impacts the business. We all have the inner need to have purpose and to be noticed by our peers. When accountability and positive recognition are both removed from this basic equation, people stop caring about showing up at their scheduled time. They start with being passively disengaged and then eventually become actively disengaged. Other factors that could contribute to chronic absenteeism are poor working conditions, low pay and an uncertain financial future for the organization.
Now that we have looked at the source of absenteeism and its impact on companies today, we need to start identifying solutions. Companies have a responsibility to hold their employees to high attendance standards and to be good stewards of their resources. An absence management system can reduce costs, improve organization and allow companies to consistently track and administer their attendance disciplinary procedures. An absence management system that includes employee call in and real time notification can also improve productivity and quality while reducing unnecessary overtime. These all happen to be the benefits of using the solutions offered by Cagrus, because helping your company regain control of your absences is what we do.
We delight in working with companies of all sizes and we will be sure to give everyone the same outstanding service. Our team of experts can help determine if our Hosted solution is the best option for you or our customizable Enterprise solution. It is time to cut back on the waste that you categorize as a “cost of doing business” for all of the unplanned and excessive employee absenteeism. We will help you keep money in your pockets while raising the level of morale in your workplace. Our selection of attendance management tools will improve your efficiency with managing absenteeism in the workplace and provide an added measure of assurance to your management team.
