Category: Absence Reporting

Detrimental Effects of Employee Absenteeism on the Workplace

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May 26th, 2017

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shutterstock_227384539 - CopyThe problems associated with employee absenteeism are not limited to the employee and the consequences are far-reaching. Employee absenteeism can affect productivity, finances, and workplace morale. Attendance issues affect a business’s bottom line as well as the rest of the staff. That is why it is vital for employers to develop and enforce an absence reporting policy. Without proper attendance protocols in place, employers can encounter some or all of the issues discussed below.

Poor Performance

When an employee is absent on a regular basis, they may be unable to complete their work by the given deadline. Failure to come into work on a regular basis impedes the employee’s ability to complete projects. However, it also bleeds over into other departments. If the employee is working on a beginning or middle phase of a project, staff members responsible for the final pieces cannot begin work. This causes a domino effect of delays and loss of productivity.

Limited Growth Potential

Employers expect employees to continue to grow in abilities and expertise. If an employee misses work on a regular basis, it is unlikely they will be able to work on their professional development. Instead of growing their skill set, the employee will be playing catch up and trying to stay abreast with their current workload.

Strife Among Staff

Other staff members will grow to resent their chronically absent coworkers. It requires them to pick up the slack and work longer hours. This leads to tension and can cause poor working relations for future projects. The remaining staff can come to resent management as well. Employees without attendance issues will perceive that management is allowing the absent employee to continue missing work without repercussions.
This is why having an absence reporting and management system is essential. Without these procedures and tools in place, management may not even realize an attendance issue exists. Actec can help businesses implement an absence reporting and management system to avoid the above issues. To learn more, contact us.

Advanced Absence Reporting & Analytics Protect Margins and Ensure Compliance

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May 5th, 2017

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absence management video image borderOne of the most prevalent issues that employers face is employee absenteeism. Recent DOL statistics estimate that three percent of an employer’s workforce can be absent on any given day. Furthermore, surveys have shown that employee paid absences cost employers over 20 percent of their total payroll. While most of the absences are legitimate, up to one-third of them are not related to illness.
Inaccurate absence tracking leads to significant losses in not only margin but also productivity and even workplace morale. To help reduce instances of employees taking fraudulent sick days, employers can implement electronic absence reporting. The benefits are multi-fold, including:

  • Employees who know their employers are tracking how often they call out tend to rethink taking a gratuitous day off.
  • By collecting absentee data, employers can gather averages for how many days employees take leave. Employees who know this information can compare their time off to the status quo. Some employees may not realize they are taking more leave than is normal without this data.
  • The data can help employers target problem areas. If one department has a much higher absentee rate than the others there could be a leadership issue. The data can help employers address the issues and prevent similar problems from happening in the future. Ensuring employees are happy goes a long way to reducing absenteeism.
  • Clear and accessible rules and methods for reporting sick time should help employees to understand and make use of the system as its intended.

Employers who implement electronic absence reporting systems should be mindful when using the data. The end goal should be to support and improve employees’ workplace experiences. If employees view the data collection as a means to mete out punishment, it could have the opposite intended effect.
Employers should make it clear that any electronic reporting system is meant to enrich employees’ health and wellness while at work. To learn more about optimizing your absence reporting procedures, contact us.

4 Common Causes for Absence that Hurt Your Company Reputation

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March 20th, 2017

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shutterstock_227384539 - CopySome causes for absence can’t be avoided. People will get sick, a relative may pass away, or an employee may become disabled. Other reasons for absence have nothing to do with sickness or injury. These are job related conditions, and if they aren’t cured they can hurt your bottom line and your company’s reputation.
Job Related Conditions for Frequent Absences
Job-related conditions include more than just an accident at work or George coming in with a head cold and spreading it through the sales department. The work environment and level of employee engagement can also determine how often your employees call in sick. These conditions include:

  • Stress and burnout
  • Bullying/harassment
  • Low Morale
  • Job hunting due to bullying, stress or low morale

These conditions are preventable and if they go unchecked your company can gain the reputation of being a bad place to work.
A Bad Place to Work
When a company is considered a bad place to work more employees will leave the organization in search of better conditions. The high turnover rate will be difficult to offset because the company will also have a difficult time recruiting quality candidates to fill open positions.
With a high turnover rate and positions that are difficult to fill, the quality of the company’s products or services will be affected. When a company’s products or services are affected, the company will suffer from customer dissatisfaction and a poor company image.
A company’s revenue, reputation and market share will be negatively impacted due to a poor working environment and high absentee rate.
Employee Engagement
Increasing employee engagement, encouraging workers to use their vacation time to prevent burnout and instituting a zero tolerance for harassment will improve company morale and attendance rate. Earning a reputation for being a company that cares will also help your organization recruit the top candidates in your industry and improve company efficiency.
And when you do need to track employee absences, contact the experts at Actec. We offer an absence management solution that will work for your unique business needs.

Steps to Managing Illness-Related Absences

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March 14th, 2017

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shutterstock_174875483Absence management encompasses a number of attendance issues. Any effective attendance policy will provide details on a variety of absences including sick leave, personal leave, vacation leave, disability leave, and more. However, these guidelines often exist for employees. How to implement an attendance policy and facilitate the return-to-work process can be confusing for employers. Below are some steps managers can take to navigate the process for illness-related absences.

When an Employee Calls Out of Work

Managers should always find out the details behind the absence as well as a general period for when the employee will be fit to return to work. They should also find out if the absence is related to an incident at work to prepare for a potential worker’s compensation claim. If the illness is cyclical, the employer may need to discuss medical treatment needs to ensure the workplace is not contributing to the recurring problem. Employers should also take this time to remind the employee about the attendance policy and if they need to provide additional information such as a doctor’s note.

When the Employee is Absent

Employers should encourage employees to provide updates on their condition. The employer should not be overbearing about these updates, but proper timelines are necessary for adequate absence management. If the employer does not know the nature of the illness (i.e. short-term vs long-term), they cannot set up an appropriate return-to-work plan. Employers should also keep accurate records of all correspondence with employees regarding their illness.

Return-to-Work Process

The company attendance policy should outline the return-to-work process so employees know what to expect. Some companies only opt to require return-to-work interviews for extended absences or habitual short-term absences. Employers should consider any accommodations the employee may need to facilitate a successful return-to-work. This includes any recommendations given by the employee’s physician as well.
Other elements to consider for the return-to-work process are:

  • A phased return
  • A flexible schedule
  • Modifying duties
  • Upgrading the employee’s workstation to reduce a chance of relapse (e.g. an ergonomic chair after a back injury)
  • Moving the employee’s workstation to an easier to access area

Employers can improve their absence management procedures by keeping track of an employee’s recovery progress, providing proper support, and addressing any issues as they arise. To learn more about effective absence management strategies, contact the experts at Actec.

Managing Presenteeism in the Workplace

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February 16th, 2017

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shutterstock_252811903 - CopyMany employers focus absence management efforts on common issues that cause absences or on individuals with chronic attendance problems. Not many, however, address an issue that has the potential to be a much bigger problem than absenteeism: presenteeism. Presenteeism occurs when employees continue to come into work despite being ill.

Consequences of Presenteeism

Traditional-minded managers may view presenteeism as a somewhat positive character trait. It shows the employee is dedicated to their work. However, employees who work while ill pose risks that outweigh the benefits of them not taking a sick day. For starters, a sick employee is not 100 percent focused on the job at hand. This means they are more prone to making errors that can be costly to fix.
Another issue is the loss of productivity due to presenteeism is much more than if the employee had called out sick to recover. This is because the employee is likely to stay ill for longer when not getting adequate rest. If the employee is only able to give 50 percent of their attention to their job for a week while recovering rather than taking one sick day, much more productivity is lost.
Additional negative effects of presenteeism include:

  • A reduction in workplace morale
  • Higher levels of absenteeism for stress-related issues
  • An increase in mental health problems among employees

How to Manage Presenteeism

Establishing guidelines for managing presenteeism can save companies money both in the short-term and long-term. It can also improve employee morale, productivity, and commitment. Below are some tips for reducing presenteeism in the workplace.

  1. Clarify expectations. Real or perceived pressure to come into work even when ill contributes to presenteeism. Companies need to update their policies and train managers to make it clear that employees need to stay home when ill for a proper recovery.
  2. Recognize common presenteeism causes. A prevalent cause of presenteeism is high workloads. Many employees feel obligated to come into work while ill to manage their amount of work. They feel guilty forcing other coworkers to take on some of their responsibilities or worry about meeting deadlines.
  3. Know the symptoms. An increase in stress-related absences or mental health issues among staff are indicators of a presenteeism problem. Reducing the stigma or addressing mental health problems can also help employees get the help they need. Consider training seminars or hosting awareness programs to provide managers with a better understanding of the effects of wellbeing in the workplace.

Proper metrics are vital to catching a potential presenteeism issue before it becomes a full-scale, company-wide problem. Actec understands your company needs to be able to track and quantify absence data in a meaningful way. To learn more about our Absence Reporting Program, contact us.

In Case You Missed It: FMLA & Total Absence Management On-Demand Webinar

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January 20th, 2017

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In this Actec Systems educational webinar subject matter experts John Hearn and Michael Godwin review practical strategies and solutions to logistical challenges in absence management and absence reporting. From administrative retroactive adjustments to compliance inconsistencies and poor clinical handoffs, absence management programs can cause difficulty for even the most organized businesses. Pinpoint your organization’s challenges as we review the following topics:
* Practical absence process vs. compliance details
* Understanding perspectives of various stakeholders
* Identifying and circumventing industry limitations
* Seeing the bigger picture regarding absence management
For a copy of the slides, click here. To learn more about absence reporting, contact us.

Real-Time Absence Reporting for HR Professionals

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January 20th, 2017

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shutterstock_306793247 - CopyHuman Resources (HR) professionals want and need real-time information when it comes to employee absences. In addition to a lack of metrics, there is confusion on how to define the cost of employee absences. Many companies use a combination of the employee’s salary and benefits (including pensions and insurance) to estimate the cost, but the ratio varies. Regardless, absences cost employers money and HR professionals need a simple way to manage absences.
Another issue in absence management is who is in charge. Many companies believe it is a combined effort of HR and managers. However, many managers do not receive adequate training on how to handle employee absences. Both managers and HR professionals need the proper tools to be able to work together to notice patterns and take action in regards to habitual employee absences.
Employers can take some immediate measures to reduce absenteeism and improve employee morale. For example, employers can put employee wellness strategies into place that give employees a paid day off for preventative care appointments. Another option is to implement flexible schedules or allow employees to work from home a certain number of days per week.
However, employers need long-term solutions for absence management. The best way to achieve that goal is with a custom, in-house solution. Actec helps businesses set up absence management systems that simplify the leave process for both HR professionals and employees alike. Some highlights of utilizing Actec include:

  • Ensuring consistent absence management
  • Tracking the regularity and cost of absences
  • Ensuring compliance with Federal and State Laws
  • Boosting productivity by decreasing the frequency/duration of absences

To learn more about improving your absence management strategy, contact us.

Focus on Workplace Health to Positively Impact Employee Absenteeism

Posted on

January 11th, 2017

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shutterstock_174875483Employee absences disrupt workflow and can have a negative effect on morale. While chronic absences may have an underlying and preventable cause, some absences are unavoidable. To help reduce the number of absences in the workplace due to illness, employers can implement health and wellness programs. Focusing on keeping employees healthy can help reduce their susceptibility to getting sick. However, setting up a wellness program is not enough. Employers need to measure the success of such programs with reliable metrics.

Implementing a Wellness Program

To measure the program’s success, business owners need to track specific metrics. Most health and wellness programs aim to reduce absenteeism and the accompanying costs. To improve attendance based on metrics, business owners can break absences down by:

  • Department
  • Role
  • Cause

This will allow managers to notice trends and make adjustments where necessary. For example. If team leaders fall ill every year during the busiest season, business owners can dig into metrics to see if those employees are overworked and therefore more likely to fall ill. If the cause of the absenteeism is due to cold and flu season, employers can focus on preventative care instead. Having reliable absence reporting data is vital to reducing absenteeism via a health and wellness program.
Health and wellness programs provide additional benefits for employers as well. Companies that invest in their employees’ well-being often see a more loyal and engaged workforce. This affects overall morale and can improve productivity. However, implementing a successful health and wellness program can be overwhelming. To find ways to improve your employee absenteeism challenges, contact the experts at Actec.

Three Key Opportunities to Reduce Workplace Absenteeism

Posted on

December 27th, 2016

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shutterstock_227384539 - CopyMany employee absences are inevitable, such as when an employee catches the flu. However, chronic absenteeism is another issue altogether. It disrupts the flow of work and can affect the morale of other employees. Below are some strategies for employers to use to prevent excessive absenteeism.

Return-to-Work Interviews

After a prolonged absence, employers should have a face-to-face meeting with the employee. This can help them learn more about the absences to gauge whether the employee is genuine. Having an established return-to-work process can help reduce unnecessary absenteeism as well. If an employee knows they will have to account for their time off, they will be less likely to take fraudulent sick days.

Flex Scheduling

Not all individuals calling out want to miss work. Sometimes, their life situation is forcing them to take a sick day. With the appropriate accommodations, having a flexible schedule can allow the employee to complete their work without taking leave. This could include flexible start times or the ability to work from home when necessary.

Incentivize Attendance

Positive reinforcement often yields much better results than disciplinary action. For example, implementing a reward system for good attendance can reduce absenteeism. This can be something as simple as a $25 gift card for a set period of no tardiness or absences.
Handling absences can be difficult for employers. To take the guesswork out of the process, contact Actec for a custom in-house solution to meet your business’ absence management needs.

Absence Management and FROI

Posted on

December 20th, 2016

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shutterstock_306793247 - CopyThe first report of injury (FROI) is a critical element for worker’s comp compliance. Even if the employer does not agree with the employee, the employer must file an FROI. Each state has its own FROI form, but the requirements follow a similar pattern. Employers must file an FROI after an employee misses five or more paid workdays due to an injury. The employer has seven business days from the fifth missed workday to file.
Employers should make four copies of the FROI form. One copy should go to each of the following:

  • The state
  • The employee
  • The insurer

Employers should retain the fourth copy for their business records.
Another circumstance that requires an FROI report is if the employee seeks medical treatment for a workplace injury. Once the doctor learns of the context behind the injury, they must file a report. This is to ensure an accurate timeline and detailing of medical facts (i.e. dates, times, and locations pertinent to the injury). Much like first notice of loss (FNOL) reporting, prompt FROI reporting leads to a better result. Delaying can cause confusion over the accuracy of facts and interrupt the return-to-work process.
FROI and absence management often go hand in hand. Returning to work after a workplace injury can intimidate some employees, especially if they missed a prolonged period of work. However, returning to work can improve the employee’s morale with the proper accommodations. A phased reintegration can provide financial and emotional benefits for the employee. This also benefits the employer as the employee can return to work faster without overwhelming them. To learn more about FROI and absence management, contact us.