Workplace absenteeism refers to time taken off work due to illness or other reasons , such as childcare or transportation issues. Studying patterns of workplace absences can be useful for public health.
What are the major causes of absenteeism at work?
Some of the main reasons for absenteeism include workplace harassment, family-related issues, illness, and job hunting . Absenteeism can result in higher costs for employers. Other employees often have to pick up the slack, which may result in a drop in morale.
What is meant by employee absenteeism?
What Is Absenteeism? Absenteeism refers to the habitual non-presence of an employee at their job . Habitual non-presence extends beyond what is deemed to be within an acceptable realm of days away from the office for legitimate causes such as scheduled vacations, occasional illness, and family emergencies.
How do you deal with absenteeism in the workplace?
- Craft and distribute an official attendance policy. ...
- Track employee absences. ...
- Conduct return-to-work interviews. ...
- Enforce policies consistently and address issues immediately. ...
- Adopt a wellness program. ...
- Create and maintain a better work environment. ...
- Offer flexibility.
Why Is absenteeism a problem for employers?
“Absenteeism is a key driver of inadequate staffing and may increase employee stress levels . Poor management of employee absences can lead to a vicious cycle of rising stress levels that negatively affect employee health and morale and lead to even more days of missed work.”
What are the two types of absenteeism?
Human Resources professionals suggest that there are two kinds of absenteeism. Culpable absenteeism is absenteeism when the employee doesn’t provide a legitimate reason for missing work. Non-culpable absenteeism is absenteeism when the employee does give a legitimate reason for missing work.
What are the types of absenteeism?
- Sickness. One of the most frequent types of absenteeism. ...
- Holiday. ...
- Bereavement / Compassionate. ...
- Travel disruption. ...
- Maternity, Paternity and Adoption Leave. ...
- Witness at court / Jury duty. ...
- Appointments. ...
- Training / Disciplinary.
What is the single leading cause of sick time and lost productivity?
What is the single leading cause of sick time and lost productivity? Employees suffering from workplace stress, illness or substance abuse issues decrease productivity and workplace morale. Unstable and troubled employees cause increased absence, distraction and conflicts among co-workers and supervisors.
What are the effects of absenteeism?
Impact on Individual Productivity
Absenteeism can affect individual productivity. Simply put, if someone works less, they’re likely to be less productive. Employers should consider root causes, which include burnout , disengagement, as well as those that may require accommodations, such as child care or illness.
How much unexcused absenteeism is acceptable before a person is formally disciplined?
Excessive absenteeism is defined as two or more occurrences of unexcused absence in a 30-day period and will result in disciplinary action. Eight occurrences of unexcused absence in a 12-month period are considered grounds for termination.
Can an employee be dismissed for absenteeism?
Generally, if there has been no prior instance of absenteeism, the employer is not entitled to dismiss . But if the absence is coupled with insubordination, dismissal may be justified. ... If an employee fails to report for duty for an extended period, what the employer must do before a dismissal can be called fair.
Can you terminate an employee for excessive absenteeism?
It is unlawful under section 352 of the Fair Work Act 2009 to terminate an employee who is on a temporary absence due to illness. ... This means an employee who has been absent from the workplace due to illness or injury for more than 3 months will lose their protection against this kind of dismissal.
What are the results of poor employee attendance at work?
Poor attendance saps the morale of employees, costs employers overtime expenses, and reduces employee engagement. Poor attendance takes supervisory time and attention and often results in disciplinary action. ... You do need to take it on as an important component of any management or supervisory job.
What is a good absenteeism rate?
As a rule of thumb, a 1.5% absence rate is a healthy rate (pun intended). Illness is impossible to prevent for 100% and taking 3-4 days per year off because of a severe cold or another ailment is fine.
How many days is considered excessive absenteeism?
The following is an example of an employer’s policy on excessive absenteeism: “Excessive absenteeism is defined as three (3) or more unexcused absences in any ninety (90) day period . First offense – written counseling and warning that continued excessive absenteeism will lead to subsequent disciplinary action.
What is absenteeism in simple words?
Absenteeism, in simple terms, refers to failure of an employee to report for duty when he is scheduled to work . It is an unauthorized absence from the workplace. Absenteeism refers to unauthorised absence of the employee from his job.
