Dealing with Employee Absenteeism

& Poor Performance

Jill BlagdenMowlem Aqumen

Agenda• Absence

the facts, the issues, the processes to address

• Performance Management

why people poor perform and how to resolve

• Summary and your questions

Absenteeism & Poor Performance

• Absence – the single most challenging health & safety issue

• Performance management – getting the best from our people in order to survive

“Well, it can be boring and yes I’ve had the odd few days off here and there..

..but I get paid for it and they (Management) always seem to get cover..

.. they never say anything so they’re obviously not bothered”

“She’s always off sick, it’s not fair, but management just don’t seem to do anything”

“If she can do it and get away with it – so can I!”

Absence – The Symptoms

Employees

1) colds/flu

2) food poisoning / stomach upset

3) headache / migraines

4) stress / emotional /personal problems

5) back problems

Employers

1) Colds/Flu

2) Stress/emotional/personal problems

3) Monday morning blues

4) Using up sick leave

5) Low morale/boring job

Factors Affecting an Individual’s Performance

Stress at work – i.e. pressure / long hours

Conflicts between domestics and work life

Poor relations with colleagues/ poor management or supervision

Poor job satisfaction

Over worked or under worked

Employees feeling undervalued

Poor working conditions & working environment

Rotas and shift patterns

Sickness Absence – Key Facts

• Absence management is the single most challenging health & safety issue

• Stress management remains a key issue

• Rising cost of employers liability insurance

• Government’s targets for improving health & safety

Sickness Absence….• I Super Glued my hand to the dressing table

• I was attacked by a squirrel on my way to work

• Breast augmentation

• I broke up with my boyfriend

• My cat was sick

• Leprosy (changed to ‘flaky skin’ on further questionning)

• TTFW (too tired for work ….?)

Sickness Absence – Key Facts• Average employee takes 7 days sickness absence per year – average of 3% of their working time absent

• Manual workers take more sickness absence than non-manual workers

• Larger organisations & public sector experience higher rates of sickness than smaller and private sector

• Cost £25 to £2,000 per person in sick pay & replacement labour costs

• 16% employers pay bill spent on managing absence

Managing Absence

“You cannot manage what you cannot measure”

Managing Absence – Data Collection

• Accurate record keeping

• Nature of absence

• Frequency of absence

• Duration

• During a period – financial year

Measuring AbsenteeismLost Time Rate

No. of days absent x 100 = absence %Days per week in a given period of time

Case 1Absent for 28 days year to date contracted for 5 days per week

28 days x 100 = 11% absence 240 days (1 year)

Views Held On Absence..

• Line managers do not like managing absence

• HR unable to gain board commitment to the issue

• Significant levels of absence are not genuine

Steps To Managing Absence• Policy

• ‘Return to work’

Can you help with anything?

Promoting welfare culture

Re-iterating to employee that absence is monitored

Addressing concerns the employee may have

Short Term Absence• Re-curring illness/medical condition/unrelated illnesses

• Non-genuine

• Investigatory hearing

• Disciplinary hearing

• Dismissal

• Appeal

Long Term Absence• No legal definition

• Home visits seeking authority for medical evidence

• Never dismiss until sick pay is exhausted

• Dismissal – for incapability – not fit to attend work

• Dismissal – for misconduct – evidence says they should return and they refuse!

• Right to appeal

Managing Health At Work?

• Advice on accident reporting, substance abuse, sexual health & HIV

• Policies and procedures on healthy lifestyles, complementary medicines, massage, reflexology

• Duvet Days

• Counselling / support services - assistance programmes

• Stress audits and training

One last thought on absence..

“The key to effective management of sickness absence lies primarily with line managers since they are best

placed to know & take interest in their staff as a matter of routine..

…they are therefore likely to be alert to problems inside or outside the workplace, which could impact adversely

on an individuals attendance”

Managing Performance

“Managing performance – getting the best from our people in order to survive”

Why Do Employees Perform Poorly?

• Those who can do the job but won’t

• Those who can’t do the job and don’t

Poor Performance Management

• Job description

• Training

• Regular work reviews

• Investigatory

• Disciplinary

• Demotion or dismissal

A Performance Management Culture

• Mowlem is expanding

• Talent in place to successfully operate

• Performance review is a key process

• Robust training – IIP accredited

• TUPE transfers – large % of our staff

• Performance management processes are critical

Performance Management Planning

• Performance review twice per year

• Summary overview of employee performance

• Top performers

• Poor performers

• Action plans in place

Summary

• Organisations are increasingly coming to recognise that healthy individuals mean healthy business

• “We want sick people to stay at home and well people to come to work!”

• Performance management – getting the best from our people in order to survive

Dealing with Employee Absenteeism

& Poor Performance

Your Questions?

Dealing with Employee Absenteeism

& Poor Performance

Jill BlagdenMowlem Aqumen