How to prevent absenteeism ?
Put in place a precise monitoring of absences
To prevent absences and implement an action plan to improve corporate health and well-being, it is essential to be able to monitor absences precisely. First of all, a distinction must be made between long-term absences (more than 30 days) and short-term absences (less than 30 days). In what would be considered a healthy company, a balance should be found between the two categories in terms of cumulative days. However, it is not the only pertinent indicator, as it is also necessary to understand the evolution of absences and their average length.
A Human Resources Director (HRD) must be able to analyse, in real time, the key figures for the absenteeism of their company by sector, by job, and by team leader, with the help of a dashboard, while comparing them over time.
Analyse the key figures linked to absenteeism
Using these indicators, the HRD is then able to take the pulse of the company and consider a real collective remedy by applying the figures to the information received from the various team leaders. In absence prevention, it is important that these same team leaders are trained to lead their staff following simple but highly efficient rules for the well-being of employees. Moreover, there are numerous courses available for management coaching, and their integration in the career plan of anyone in management appears to have become indispensable today.
Stay in contact with the absent employee
In the context of managing and mastering absences, it must be remembered that regular contact with a person who is suffering is essential. In this way the person maintains contact with their professional world and will feel expected when they are cured.
Communication on reorganisation measures during the period of working in a reduced team must also be clear and requires particular care to avoid demotivating those present. Because, as it is often said, absence engenders absence…
Lastly, it is important to talk about the staff member’s return to work. Principally in the case of long-term absences, it is not feasible to return someone to their workstation without certain precautions.
Consider a therapeutic recovery, often compensated by insurers
The employee who returns after a long illness needs consideration and time to return to a professional rhythm. There are tools available such as therapeutic resumption that must be used. The aim of this return is not to require a direct output from the person, but to allow them a period of readaptation. Quite often, a therapeutic resumption is covered by insurance as it forms an integral part of the illness and allows numerous risks of relapse to be avoided.
The returning employee should also be offered a meeting to explain the tasks performed during their absence and the new projects in progress to them.
As is apparent the subject of absenteeism is complex and that the only way of providing concrete solutions for companies is to master the coordination of the all the actors concerned.
