Clare Bowen is the Head of HR Services at JCP Solicitors and provides HR support to many of the firm’s clients. In this series of articles, Clare breaks down standard HR procedures into small and manageable bite sized pieces of information.

Managing Absence in the Workplace

With the cold snap upon us there are lots of cold and flu bugs kicking about. If you have not done so already, you may want to start thinking about how you can improve the way your business manages employee absence.

To start with, it is really import to accurately record and monitor absence and you need to ensure that it expresses that you will do so in your contracts of employment.  It is important to include a policy in your staff handbook to reinforce this message and clearly state your absence procedures and guidelines.  Clear lines of communication with regards to calling in sick are also essential and if the employee thinks they will be off for a few days or more, they need to know whether they should be reporting in on a daily basis or in a week’s time – depending on their illness.

Within a week of returning to work you should be inviting the employee to a Return-to-Work Interview. This is an important and highly effective tool. Not only does it help to welcome the employee back, but it will also check that the employee is ready to return and confirm the reasons for the absence.  You can discuss any problems that may have caused or contributed to the absence and what you as the employer can do to help address this. The Return to Work Interview should be stored on the employee’s personal file and in the case of long-term absence, a paper trail will assist you in decision-making and is essential for defending any Tribunal claims for unfair dismissal or disability discrimination. 

As well as the procedural aspects, there are also certain tips and internal measures that you can use to manage and prevent absentee issues. You could for example:

• Train managers on how to handle absence.
• Set targets for absence levels.
• Check the attendance records of applicants during recruitment.
• Provide opportunities for discussing problems relating to attendance in performance appraisals.
• Develop other initiatives to encourage good attendance, e.g. improvement of working conditions, introduction of flexible working, provision of counselling and healthcare/prevention facilities.
• Review your absence policy on a regular basis for effectiveness

The majority of these hints and tips can also be used to manage lateness. Every business and workplace is different and it is important to remember that your procedures need to suit the working hours of your employees and type of work involved.

Clare Bowenworks with clients of JCP heading up the Employment Protection Scheme. This scheme provides employers with all the employment documents, policies and procedures required by the law.  The scheme also includes unlimited HR advice, backed up by two qualified Employment Solicitors. There is also an additional option of purchasing an Insurance product for claims and compensation.

To learn more about the JCP Employment Protection Scheme and to request a quote to suit your business needs, please contact Clare on 01792 529603 or email clare.bowen@jcpsolicitors.co.uk