The Rising Problem of Absenteeism in the Workplace

What do you think of the word Absenteeism?

 To the layman, it might sound like a practice of taking a couple of days off than what a worker is not otherwise advised to do so usually for the purpose of personal pleasure. This practice has caused a huge loss of over 225 billion $ in the previous year, In this blog we’ll be discussing the causes and the ways where we might be able to solve this growing problem in the workplace

But unfortunately, this is not the case as the term is often used to refer to taking unplanned or unannounced holidays on a habitual or chronic basis. Although there is a fine line between absenteeism and an actual unplanned last-minute holiday since every employee is bound to miss work occasionally, absenteeism has its disruptive effects on the workplace in more ways than one to both the employee and the employer.

·       It’s more likely to occur when the holiday is unplanned

·       It does not create trust between the management and concerned employee himself (and probably among the employees in team-like environments)

·       Its usually an indicator that a change in required either on the management side or on how the said employee or employees are engaged at work.

Unlike absence with a legitimate cause which might be due to medical conditions or emergencies, hence is the reason as to why such reasons are likely to be excused by the management.

What does this communicate to both parties?

·       It is often a sign of poor management or poor working conditions or even a direct result of both. One example could be an extremely strict attitude towards absences in general which might result in sick people in coming into work, further creating a domino effect resulting in an increase of sick leaves among otherwise healthy workers.

·       For teams, more the employees are absent heavier the workload distributed among their colleagues. This can lead to increased stress and dissatisfaction among other workers who have to take on additional responsibilities.

·       Frequent absences can disrupt succession and the promotion of talent within the organisation, as employees may be less available for training and skill-building activities.

This can drive-up recruitment costs for employers who might otherwise had chosen to grow local talent present within the 4 walls of said company. Such an approach could have helped these employers aptly train potential talent to move up the ranks

The Not-So Absolute Solution

Addressing absenteeism in the workplace does not only require a single approach but rather a multi-faceted one that considers the root causes and implements strategies that does address these issues which could affect the overall work environment. The following solutions might help in solving this problem of absenteeism:

1) Employee Well-being programs:

Implement wellness programs that focus on promoting physical and mental wellbeing. These programs can include fitness initiatives, stress management workshops and access to resources that can support a person’s wellbeing.

2) Flexible Work Arrangements:

Offer flexible work schedules or remote work options to accommodate employees personal needs and promote a better work-life balance. This can help a group to reduce stress and makes it easier for employees to manage their responsibilities.

3) Employee Performance Management:

Implementing an effecting performance management system with a set goal and a set list of expectations from the management can provide a clear goal for an employee to reach. This can aid in identifying the key causes for the poor performance of the said person who might be a frequent practicioner of absenteeism and address such concerns can prevent the practice from happening in the first place.

4) Assistance Programs:

Providing assistance programs that can aid in the wellbeing of the employee .Tthe employer can offer frequent and confidential counselling and support services for people who might suffer from frequent absenteeism.

5) Flexibility Policies:

Flexibility which seems to be the new norm of the current decade, can aid in the reduction of absenteeism in the workplace. Although not possible in some industries, These Policies can aid, if not better, productivity in industries such as the IT Sector.

The implementation of Flexible, Relaxed Work Policies that might only require certain employees towards a particular goal rather than being worked if not overworked for a certain period of time over the course of a month, If not even a year!