legal updates
Friday, 13 Feb 2009
hot and bothered by absenteeism?
The Americans have coined the latest piece of HR terminology for the practice of taking unwarranted days off as the temperature begins to rise: “seasonal absence syndrome” or “SAS”.
There is little doubt that weekend indulgence and a desire to extend the weekend to make the most of the rare hot weather is a serious hindrance to staff output in the UK, with the most common “sick” days being Monday and Friday.
The consequences of this go beyond merely losing a day’s work from one person. Productivity is affected, those who are present may well have to work harder, possibly damaging morale, and a precedent is set for other staff who may feel entitled to follow suit.
To combat this threat, in the first instance it is important to remind staff of the company policy on absenteeism, and stress that skiving will not be tolerated. To stay ahead of potential problems, closely monitor absence levels of all employees.
Return-to-work interviews, regardless of the length of absence, will have a positive impact on cutting the number of SAS absences and prove a vital tool in identifying patterns. Bearing in mind the importance of not offending honest employees, it should be made clear that the purpose of this interview is to monitor absences and that it is not part of the disciplinary process.
If the return to work interview casts doubt on the employee’s reason for their absence, it is essential to take a firm approach by asking them to explain their absences and if a pattern is apparent initiating disciplinary procedures if there are clear grounds.
To deal with dishonest employees it may be necessary to use the stick, but don’t forget about the carrot. A fair, happy workplace is likely to discourage absenteeism, so consider the benefits of offering free refreshments to cool staff down on a hot day. However, on the plus side, given the nature of the British climate, the problem of SAS is more than likely to be limited to a couple of weeks in June!