Managing Absence at Work

Managing absence requires supervisors and managers to exercise judgement as to the right course of action. It is particularly important to bear in mind that most employees feel very stressed by the fact they have been absent. Unless there is evidence to suggest the opposite they should then be given sympathetic support.

The organisation should have a written policy concerning absence from work. A suggested approach is set down in the Policy section detailed opposite.
Supervisors should always hold a 'return to work' conversation with employees when they return from absence of any period. For more information see below.
Consideration should be given to those individuals where the nature of the job contributes to absence - for example, workload which is excessive or stressful. In that case the job should be changed to provide additional support.
Identify persistent offenders through regular monitoring of records (see record keeping section indexed opposite).
Where an individual has a regular pattern of absence (say more than three absence periods in six months). A formal absence review meeting should be held to discuss the matter. For more information see below.
The organisation should be very careful to adhere to the procedures set down in the sickness policy. If necessary the disciplinary procedure should be used to follow up persistent unexplained absence.
Where there is evidence that an individual's absence is not genuine the formal disciplinary procedure should be intitiated. See link right for more information.

Return to Work Conversation

This should be held as soon as an employee returns to work after absence, and take place between the immediate supervisor and the employee. The supervisor should keep a diary note that the meeting has taken place but no other records are normally necessary.

The objective of this is simply to indicate to the employee that their absence was noted and the supervisor is taking a genuine caring interest in them. The meeting should take the form of an informal conversation in a private place. The supervisor should not put the employee under any pressure to discuss their illness but they may be happy to do so. The main purpose of the meeting is to check that work pressures are not contributing to the absence and that the employee is fit enough to resume their duties. In most cases such meetings should take no more than 5- 10 minutes.

Absence Review

This should be held with all employees who have regular short-term absence periods which are either unexplained or the explanations are not linked. The meeting should take place between the supervisor and company sickness advisor (nurse or doctor). Such meetings should not be held with individuals who have genuine chronic illness problems - see long-term illness section below. It is not the purpose of this meeting to probe into the medical reasons for absence, but the employee should be given the opportunity to discuss these issues privately with the company nurse or doctor. The purpose of the Absence Review meeting is fourfold:

To formally indicate to the employee that their pattern of absence has been noted.
To investigate with the employee if work pressure is contributing to their absence and if so the actions that need to be taken.
To discuss with the employee any actions they need to take either at work or home to reduce their sickness absence.
To agree on an action plan for future behaviour.

A formal record of this meeting should be kept and a copy provide to the employee.

Long-Term Illness

We should all bear in mind that chronic or acute long term illness can occur at any time. The key to managing these situations is for supervisors and managers to ask themselves the question, "If I was in that situation how would I want to be treated?".

The organisation should apply its sickness illness policy consistently and fairly to all cases of chronic illness.
Supervisors should maintain regular contact with the employee.
Medical reports should be obtained at regular intervals.
Consider the provision of alternative work.
In conjunction with medical opinion consider a planned part time re-introduction to work.
Take medical advice on the likelihood of return to work.
Consider how long the job can be kept open, keep the employee fully informed if employment is at risk.
Take professional advice on the application of the Disability Discrimination Act before any decision to dismiss.
Follow the disciplinary procedure set out in the dismissal section indexed left.