Partner Article

A prescription for sick staff

With Business Link

As the cold weather sets in, so too do the ‘winter’ illnesses – colds, coughs, chest infections – and many employers will see their staff absence rate increase considerably. This needs managing and managing well. Not only can a reduction in manpower have a serious impact on your business (especially smaller operations) but also on staff morale – that of the employees managing without colleagues and of those off sick worrying about how their boss has reacted to their unplanned absence.

Having absence and sickness policies in place will make life easier for everyone concerned. They should explain how you will monitor and deal with absences (of any kind) and set out clearly the rights and obligations of your employees. These will help your workers recognise that you treat these issues seriously and that they have certain responsibilities to fulfil. They should also help you prevent small problems developing into larger ones and may assist you in identifying and tackling underlying problems such as poor working conditions, work-life balance issues or lack of adequate training/career development.

You may also find that monitoring reasons for absences makes it easier for you to identify and deal with different types of absence appropriately. For example, you should treat an employee on long-term sick leave or who has a drug/alcohol addiction differently from an employee who regularly calls in sick on a Friday.

If you do not currently have absence or sickness procedures but wish to introduce some, it would be advisable to develop them in consultation with line managers, employee representatives and, if applicable to your business, trade unions. In the Employing People section of the Business Link website, you will find suggestions on what to include in your policies – from how a worker should notify you of their absence, to the consequences of their not following the procedure. ACAS also has information on ‘Dealing with Absence’ and ‘Managing Short Term Sickness’ - both accessible via the Business Link website.

Do remember though that many unauthorised absences are due to unforeseeable sickness or accidents and that you need a plan in place (eg short-notice access to temporary workers) to help you deal with these as well as for authorised absences such as holidays or parental leave. Having absence and sickness policies and procedures in place can also bring clear business benefits. These include improved productivity, profit-making and morale, higher retention rates and motivation, as well as lower insurance costs. You may also find that your reputation is improved and that this in turn aids recruitment.

For Business Link services in your local area, call 0845 600 9006 or visit the website www.businesslink.gov.uk. Business Link services in the North East are supported by the European Regional Development Fund, through the Government Office for the North East, and One NorthEast.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .