Managing Short Term

Absence
Housekeeping

 Toilets

 Fire

 Who we are
 Topics to be covered…

Consequences of poor absence management

Cost of Absence

What are the business benefits of managing absence?

Reasons for Short term absence

Managers Responsibilities

Return to work interviews

Course Purpose
 To provide course participants with an
opportunity to identify & practice the
knowledge, skills & attitudes required to
manage absence issues with their people.

 To help you gain confidence in dealing with

these issues.
Learning Objectives
 By the end of this session, you will be better
able to:
 Understand the importance of managing
attendance or controlling absenteeism.
 Understand your role in reducing absence.
 Appreciate the range of possible causes of
absence.
 Conduct effective “return-to-work” interviews
in a range of circumstances.
 UK PLC is suffering from absenteeism, a
disease that is plundering profits and
preventing businesses from performing at peak.
The latest figures show that a staggering 40
million days are lost each year to workplace
absence

Paul Roberts, Healthcare consultant at IHC, one of the largest independent

healthcare specialists, 2008
Consequences of poor
absence management

 Direct Costs
 Indirect Costs

 Operational Disruption

 Symptom and Cause of low morale

The cost of absence….

 ? days absence per employee, per

year on average
 Estimated cost of £666 per employee

CIPD 2008 Absence Survey

METRICS QUIZ
Why are we doing this?
Business benefits…

 Reduce
 Improve

 Motivate

 Manage
Prompt management of short term
absence has an immediate and long
term benefit….
 Reasons for short term
sickness…

•Individual

•Organisational
Managing short term absence
and your responsibility as a
Line Manager
 Measure
 Record

 Rates

 Trigger Points

 Return to work interviews

 Proactive sickness policy

 Restricting sick pay

 The Return to Work
Interview – 3 E’s
Every
person!
Every time!

Essential
The Purpose of the RTW
Interview
 To make the employee feel welcome and
valued.
 To ensure that the employee is fit to return.
 To identify the cause of the absence.
 To address the cause (if appropriate).
 To agree priorities for the post-absence
period.
 Discuss any concerns the employee may
have
 Managerial RTW
Responsibilities

 PREPARATION
 PRIVACY
 TRUST
 SUPPORT
 ADVICE
 PLAN
RTW Role Play Activity

Observer
Employee
Line Manager
 The Phases of the RTW
Interview

WARM

 Welcome
 Absence
 Responsibility
 Move on
 Summary
 Return-to-work interviews are the single most effective tool for reducing absence.
 Managers should carry them out every time for every person – Its Essential!
 RTW Interviews are part of the organisation’s support structure, not the a method
of punishment!
 The RTW Interview should be conducted in private and in an atmosphere of trust
and support.
 Remember the structure:
 Welcome.
 Absence.
 Responsibility.
 Move on.

 The worst thing you can do with short term absence is ignore it!