Everyone deserves to work in a job they love. But in reality, that’s not always the case. From stress to difficult work conditions, there are a lot of factors which can cause employees to be negative and begrudge heading into the office. When it all gets a bit too much, that’s when the urge to pull a sickie becomes too much to ignore, and those unexplained absences creep in. Citation reported that two in five employees admitted to pulling a sickie. To help minimise the likelihood of unexpected absence, and make your work place a great place to be, try these top tips.
A simple way to make sure sickness is correctly reported and documented is outlining your sickness policy, and ensure all employees are made aware of it.
A return-to-work discussion with employee’s managers should be taken seriously – it is a great opportunity to chat one to one with employees and see if either more can be done to accommodate any requirements in the workplace, and offer the opportunity to be honest about how they are feeling in a private conversation.
If a colleague takes a certain number of days over your policy’s threshold, this can then trigger a review on why these work days have been missed, and get a better understanding of what a particular employee might be experiencing, or if this is the case of unnecessary absence for one reason or another. At that point, start to think about what needs to be implemented going forward, or if things need to change to be more accommodating, or more disciplined.
Remember being healthy isn’t just about flus or bugs. Mental Health is just as important, and if wellbeing support is not readily available to your employees, they may not be so upfront about the reason for their absence. Not having any support or assistance can cause employees to have anxiety around their mental health issues, and worry this would not be taken seriously or impact how they are seen by their colleagues. Offering an Employee Assistance Programme will not only provide immediate and personal support for employees struggling with their mental health, but also promote a more understanding and sympathetic workplace.
EAP support can help reduce unexplained absences, and allow the team to receive help to get them back on their feet quicker.
If your team seems to be regularly taking sickness absences, It is worth looking internally before immediately pointing the finger. Is there tensions within the organisation, or a toxic atmosphere? A difficult working environment can be a cause for concern and the reason some team members would prefer to fake illness than have to face it. Check in with managers and team members to see if there are any issues that need to be addressed. No one wants to work somewhere they feel miserable – so ensure your business is doing all it can to accommodate everyone, and stamp out any intolerant or intimidating behaviour.
Whilst it’s impossible to completely cut out sickies, implementing sickness policies and creating a culture of trust for your employees, so they feel comfortable coming forward when things get hard. Providing help for those that need it and ensuring they walk into a welcoming environment each day, will not only keep your business running, but also promote hard work and great work place relationships.
For more information on how to get the best out of your employees, book a demo with our sales team.
