Communication is keys to managing employee absenteeism

The majority of managers believe that taking immediate action and offering support are key to managing persistent absentees. That’s according to an online survey of senior managers conducted by technical and engineering recruiter CBSbutler through its monthly Bulletpoint management newsletter.

Just over a third of managers felt that ‘return to work interviews’ were key, and interestingly, only 7% of respondents believed that offering staff incentives was a good way of dealing with the issue.

David Leyshon, Managing Director of CBSbutler says: “Persistent absenteeism can clearly be a sign of health issues, but worryingly, it can also mean there are underlying problems within an organisation. Low morale, disengaged employees, and low job satisfaction are all examples of why some staff ‘call in sick’ often, and clearly this can be detrimental to a business”.

Leyshon believes that the best way to deal with high level of absenteeism is to nip it in the bud quickly, but efficiently. “If members of staff or a team are showing high absenteeism, it is the job of the manager to address the issue straight away”, he says. “They need to make real efforts to understand why it is happening, and then ensure that the problem is alleviated through good lines of communication.
Here at CBSbutler, for example, we invest a lot of time in ensuring our staff have a platform to express their views knowing that management will take their concerns on board, and offer genuine support, where necessary. “