Your absence policy should be a blueprint for managers to follow but not so rigid that there is no space for discretion. Discretion doesn’t mean that managers should be able to pick and choose when to implement the policy. Quite the opposite, meetings and discussions should be held on all occasions.

After salary, absence is the second largest cost to employers. Every company should set absence management goals and monitor them regularly to make sure that this significant cost does not get out of hand. Absence management works on three levels, from the individual to the organisation, so goals should be set for each area:

Whilst absence triggers can be highly effective in cutting your absence levels, the way you set them is critical to their success. Understand how your absence policy works in real life when employees start to take advantage of loopholes.

Effective absence management is highly dependent on good communication, specifically communication between management and employees. If the employee is honest and punctual in updating the employer on the status of their health or personal situation, the employer can help and manage the situation for a swift return to work and minimal impact on the remaining […]

Half-way through January, most people have by now broken their New Year’s resolutions. When it comes to companies, however, it seems that not many made any resolutions in the first place. A recent AXA survey revealed that only 26% of small businesses have set New Year’s resolutions. Which is a shame because not only can […]