Make 2016 the Year You Get Absenteeism under Control

Posted on

November 30th, 2015

December is the time when organizations create a plan for success in the New Year. As your company determines its business New Year’s Resolutions, you will want to put absence management high on the list. Absenteeism increases costs and decreases efficiency. Instituting an absence management solution now will help you increase productivity in 2016.
Absence Management
Efficient absence management includes:

Having one number for employees to call to report an absence
Understanding the number of absences by employee
Ensuring compliance of all state and federal laws
Having a consistence leave policy for all employees
Aligning absence management with production needs

When a company is able to create and maintain an effective absence management policy, your organization will be able to:

Reduce the number of absences
Reduce the amount of time spent on absence reporting
Determine seasonal staffing needs
Increase productivity
Increase retention

One way to improve absence management is to create an absence-reporting program that ensures management and human resources have up to date information. The experts at Actec can help you find a solution that will make 2016 the year you get absenteeism under control. Contact us today.

FNOL Management Starts with Gaining Control

Posted on

November 17th, 2015

Andrew

When people are upset they don’t always remember details and can become easily frustrated. Because FNOL management is vital to both the company and the insured, it is important to make that first contact count. Trained representatives can obtain important information during a FNOL contact by gaining control of the conversation and guiding customers through the process.
Don’t Interrupt
Listening skills are important when working in a call center and training often focuses on operators improving active listening expertise. However, part of good listening that is often forgotten is not interrupting the person who is speaking.
It is best to let the person explain what happened without interruption. During the narrative, the operator can jot down notes of important details they can go over when the person is done. Letting the person talk it out often reveals many particulars the operator can use to complete the necessary forms.
Be Empathetic
The customer needs to know that the company realizes this is a terrible event and empathizes with him. Saying things such as “I can imagine how difficult this must be” will let the customer know the operator and the company cares.
Take the Lead
It is also important that the customer is confident they are talking to a professional. The person is upset and frustrated and wants to feel like something is being done to help. If the operator is calm, courteous and professional during the conversation it will help the customer relax enough to give the necessary information.
FNOL management requires the right information as quickly as possible in order to reduce loss or improve chances of recovery. The sooner the company can complete the necessary documents the faster the next phase of the process can begin. Professional operators who are empathetic and have active listening skills will increase the success of the FNOL process from the moment the insured calls the contact center.
FNOL reporting is your company’s opportunity to put its best foot forward. For more information about first notice of loss and 24/7 claims reporting, contact the experts at Actec.

Reduce Employee Absenteeism by Increasing Understanding

Posted on

November 10th, 2015

Andrew

absence management video image border Do your employees understand your company attendance policy? You might be surprised to find out many employees don’t know much about company policies beyond how much PTO time they have accrued. Helping your staff understand your company’s absentee management policies will reduce employee confusion and absenteeism.
What’s An Unexcused Absence?
Does your company differentiate between excused and unexcused absences? Most organizations do and try to discourage unexcused absences because of their effect on production. However, many employees don’t understand the difference, especially if they use PTO time to cover both.
Make sure workers understand that if they don’t obtain advanced approval from a manager regarding time off it is considered an unexcused absence. And if your organization terminates employees for accruing too many unexcused absences, make sure they understand this policy as well. If they think they are okay as long as they have PTO time then an employee may not comprehend why they are receiving warnings from HR.
Partial Absence Policies
Another common area of confusion between employees and management is concerning partial absences. Employees often figure as long as they show up for their shift they are in the clear. They may not realize the impact that coming in late or leaving early has on a company.
As with unexcused absences, most companies have policies regarding partial absences. Managers need to make sure that employees understand leaving at noon for a doctor’s appointment and not returning for the rest of the day is a partial absence and may result in disciplinary action if it happens too often.
Many HR and employment issues stem from an unclear absentee management policy. Companies should make sure all employees have a thorough understanding of attendance policies when they are hired. Management should also periodically review attendance policies with their teams to make sure there are no misconceptions. For more information on how you can get absence management under control, click here.

Is Your FNOL Processing Ready for Gen Y?

Posted on

November 3rd, 2015

Andrew

shutterstock_250505056 - Copy Generation Y is now in college and entering the workforce. More of these young people are getting cars, houses and insurance. After the Baby Boomers, this generation has been the most demanding about knowing what they want and getting it from companies. So you will want to make sure that your FNOL processing is designed with Gen Y in mind.
Interaction Satisfaction is Up
Most customers from this generation are satisfied with the interactions they have with their insurance companies, especially with auto insurance providers. Many insurance companies are creating self-service portals online for PC and mobile interaction, which is what Gen Y prefers. Most of these customers feel they can find specific information on their own faster than they can by calling customer service and 30% are happy with the self-service portals that are available.
Gen Y Hates Insurance Websites
While self-service portal satisfaction is up, interaction with insurance websites receives poor reviews. Satisfaction with website interaction is the lowest response on most customer service surveys. Your company should make sure that websites are clean, easy to navigate and help Gen Y customers with complex issues, such as FNOL reporting.
Gen Y Still Uses the Phone
It is also worth noting that Gen Y does understand that the phone is for more than just texting and selfies. This generation’s insurance customers do still prefer calling agents for specific questions, including price changes, coverage questions and complex issues they can’t resolve on a company website.
A multi-channel FNOL strategy is important as Baby Boomers retire and Generation Y moves into the workforce. Both generations have large numbers of people who are demanding, savvy and want companies to meet their needs, but needs are different. Baby boomers still prefer phone contact and Gen Y wants information available on an app or website. Catering to both groups won’t be easy but is necessary to make your business successful.
To learn ways to make FNOL processing easier for your organization, contact the experts at Actec.

Creating an Absence Policy That is Fair and Effective

Posted on

October 27th, 2015

Andrew

shutterstock_252811903 - Copy In order to be able to track absenteeism in your organization, you need to have a defined absence policy. This way everyone within the organization understands the company’s definitions and expectations regarding attendance. In order for an absence policy to be successful, it needs to be fair and effective.
Define All Terms
Managers and employees need to understand the company’s definition of terms such as tardy, absence, leaving early, failure to call in, legitimate absence and illegitimate absence. A defined policy that is outlined in an employee manual will make sure that all employees understand the terms and everyone is treated fairly.
Traditional or Non-Traditional Policy
You also need to decide if your company wants to follow the traditional absence policy where everyone has a set number of vacation and sick days or non-traditional where everyone receives a vacation days and a specific number of occurrences. Many companies are adopting the non-traditional policy because if offers a way to track tardiness, absences and failure to call in.
Non-Traditional Policy
The non-traditional policy offers a specified number of occurrences that employees can use or be charged with depending on the type of absences. For example, being two hours late can be considered a half occurrence, while being absent is a full occurrence.
One of the benefits to employees of the occurrence system is that if he is absent four days in a row it is only considered one occurrence. Another possible benefit to employees is that some companies allow occurrences to be earned.
For example, if an employee isn’t absent, late or leaves work early for four months she can earn back half an occurrence.
Disadvantage of a Non-Traditional Policy
While the non-traditional policy may offer benefits to employees, it can be difficult for companies to manage. Managers have to track the number of occurrences an employee has, warn employees who are reaching their limit, and monitor if employees have earned occurrences back.
If your company is considering a non-traditional policy or looking for help with managing this process, click here to learn more.

Absence Management of Exempt Employees

Posted on

October 13th, 2015

Andrew

shutterstock_174966584 sm Absence management can be difficult if you are a large organization or if you have full and part time employees. Management of employee absences can become even more complicated if some of your employees have exempt status. Make sure you understand Federal Labor Standards to avoid falling into common pitfalls with your exempt employees.
Department of Labor Audits Companies
If any of your employees have exempt status you should be aware that the Department of Labor does perform audits. The organization wants to make sure that designated employees truly qualify for exempt status and that your company is following the rules. If you aren’t, then the Department of Labor may revoke the status and your organization may be required to pay the employee retroactively for any overtime or deducted wages.
Common Mistakes Most Companies Make
Many organizations don’t fully understand the exempt status and make some common mistakes, including:

Only paying an employee for a half day if they left early
Deducting pay if the employee takes time off
Deducting pay if the employee has jury duty
Deducting pay if the employee calls in sick

According to the Federal Labor Standards, you must pay an exempt employee for a full day as long as they are at work for at least five minutes of their shift. An exempt employee must also be paid for days that are missed due to illness or time off unless they miss an entire week.
There are of course exceptions to this rule, such as if the employee has vacation time or sick days he can use to replace the missing pay. There are also exemptions under the Family Medical Leave Act if your organization has 50 or more employees.
Understanding and managing employee absences gets complicated but there are ways to make tracking employee absenteeism easier. For more information on how you can get absence management under control, click here.

The Importance of the Return-to-Work Interview

Posted on

October 1st, 2015

Andrew

If you’re a supervisor who faces employee absenteeism as a recurring problem, one highly effective approach to consider is the “return-to-work” interview, a meeting to be conducted as soon as possible upon an employee’s return to work. Consider this to be a “counseling interview,” the first in a formal sequence of meetings you’ll want to schedule if the employee’s absenteeism continues to be a problem.

In this first meeting, your goals are to welcome the employee back to work, establish the cause of the employee’s absence, demonstrate your commitment to controlling absenteeism, explain how the employee’s absence has affected the department, and determine steps to improve the employee’s attendance going forward.

If at this stage any medical condition is found that’s likely to affect the employee’s ability to do his or her job, arrange an appointment with a company-approved doctor.

At all times, you’ll want to demonstrate that your enforcement of absenteeism policies is facilitative rather than punitive. Stress also that your goal is to treat all employees equally.

If the employee’s absenteeism persists without adequate justification, you should proceed as necessary through a series of additional meetings, perhaps also involving human resources and a union representative. Sequentially, these meetings will take you through the verbal warning stage, the written warning stage, and temporary suspension from work. If the employee ultimately is found to be unable to comply with the firm’s policies on absenteeism, the final stage is termination of employment.

Distinguishing legitimate absences due to illness from unwarranted absences is a challenging task for any supervisor. However, through consistent use of the return-to-work interview, you’ll find you gain valuable insights and leverage in addressing the problem.

Absence Management with Employee Engagement

Posted on

September 22nd, 2015

Andrew

There are times when you want employees to call in sick. Unhealthy employees are less productive and can spread illnesses throughout the office. However, some employees call out because they are unsatisfied with their job and aren’t committed to the company. To reduce this kind of absenteeism, your company may want to increase employee engagement.
What is Employee Engagement?
Employee engagement is a term used to describe strategies that increase worker involvement with decision making, product development and management. It helps employees understand that the company values the people who work for the organization. It also helps companies by increasing flexibility and decreasing the time to launch process.
What Kind of Engagement Strategies Work?
Some of the best engagement strategies to use to increase employee satisfaction include:

Sharing marketing and production goals with employees
Including employees in strategy sessions
Allowing employees to manage small projects
Receive input from employees regarding policy changes

By implementing these strategies employees will feel valued and that they are making an important contribution to the company.
How Engagement Decreases Absenteeism
When employees feel engaged and valued, they are satisfied with their career and are committed to the company. They look forward to going to work every day and less likely to call in sick because they are bored, restless or unsatisfied.
Employee engagement increases productivity and efficiency while decreasing absenteeism and employees leaving for competitors. This will help make absentee management more efficient, but your business may want to consider outsourcing this part of HR to focus on other business processes. For more information on our services, contact us.

Enhance Customer Experience With First Notice of Loss Solutions

Posted on

September 15th, 2015

Andrew

Customers never think about insurance until they need it. When it comes time to file a claim, consumers want the process to be fast, streamlined, and accessible. By modernizing your FNOL processing you will be able to improve the customer experience.
Customize the Claims Process
Companies need to customize the claims process with software solutions, electronic delivery, and online communications tailored to their business model and the needs of their clients. Customers demand solutions that meet or exceed their expectations while conforming to their logistical challenges..
Synchronize Processing
FNOL is only one step in a complicated processing chain. Each step of the process may be handled by different departments, but claims processing needs to be synchronized so that the experience is seamless for customers.
Uncomplicated Processing
Customers need assistance when they’ve been the victim of theft, automotive collision, and a host of other unfortunate events. The last thing they need to worry about is navigating a complicated claims process. Updating your process with data management, cloud and CRM systems will help your company make claim intake and the FNOL process easier for your customers.
State Requirements
Your customers consider you the authority regarding state policies and requirements. Your representatives need to have the answers for customers as well as understand company obligations. Talking customers through the process and letting them know your organization will handle state requirements will put their mind at ease.
Simplifying the Process for the Company
When you are working to enhance the customer experience you also need to find ways to make it easier for your company to manage claims. Sometimes outsourcing FNOL solutions can allow your company to focus on other aspects of managing claims. For more information about absence reporting, first notice of loss, and 24/7 claims reporting, contact the experts at Actec.

Absentee Management During Back to School

Posted on

September 8th, 2015

Andrew

Now that school is back in session, companies may face a surge in employee absenteeism. By being proactive, businesses can create effective absentee management strategies that keep employees from calling out of work.
Back to School Confusion

After a few months off, employees and their families have to adjust to the new routine of getting to the bus stop on time. And if parents transport their children, the first few days can be hectic at the school drop off location. Getting organized takes time and sometimes missteps happen. Children miss their bus, forget their lunch or a traffic jam occurs in the school carpool lane.

Businesses may want to change their attendance policy to allow more time for employees to appear for work before counting against the person as a whole day. Managers may also want to talk to employees with families about changing their schedules for the first two weeks of school to help parents establish the new back to school routine.
An Increase In Illness
Back to school can also mean an increase in illnesses being passed around a family. This is especially true for young children who are going to school for the first time. Preschoolers need time to build up their immune system as they are exposed to more children and more germs.
In today’s households, both parents often work and there are many single parent families with no back up childcare. Daycares don’t allow parents to drop off children who are ill, so many employees end up having to call in to care for their sick child.
One way to help offset employees who stay home to care for children is to allow them to switch shifts with other employees. This way they can wait for the other parent to come home before leaving for work. And depending on the employee’s position, they may be able to do some of their work from home, which allow them to stay productive.
When companies enact creative absentee management strategies, employees will see the business considers them a valuable asset. When people are valued, they will make an effort to make sure that they are able to balance work and life obligations in order to reduce absences. Working together, companies and parents can survive the back to school confusion while staying productive and effective. To learn more about absentee management and how we can help your business, contact us.