Manage absence and sickness

Introduction

Good businesses ensure they have appropriate systems in place to manage staff absence. Unexpected absences affect productivity and profits and, if they become a regular occurrence, are likely to lower morale and motivation.

However, you can improve absence rates and minimise the impact of absence by putting effective policies and procedures in place. These should be backed up by pleasant working conditions, active management and good motivation.

Monitoring and investigating the causes of absence can also help you identify factors contributing to absence levels, eg unsafe work practices.

This guide will help you to understand the causes of absence, monitor and measure the effect of absence rates and set up the right polices and procedures to control absence.

Subjects covered in this guide

• Introduction
• The need for absence and sickness policies and procedures
• Basic principles of managing absence and sickness
• Measuring and monitoring absence and sickness
• What to include in absence and sickness policies
• Employee illness as a performance issue
• Managing absence problems as disciplinary issues