Problem: Absenteeism is the main problem in the Company:

Let us begin our treatment by defining the term absenteeism. Absenteeism is any failure to report for or remain at work as scheduled, regardless of reason. The use of the words as scheduled is significant, for this automatically excludes vacation, personal leave, jury-duty leave, and the like. A great deal of confusion can be avoided simply by recognizing that if an employee is not on the job as scheduled, he or she is absent, regardless of cause. We focus here on unscheduled absence because it tends to be the most disruptive and costly of the situations where an employee is not at work. Scheduled or authorized absences are more predictable. The employee is not available to perform his or her job as expected. This often means that the work is done less efficiently by another employee or is not done at all. This chapter describes in detail the potential costly consequences of absence. There are two types of absenteeism, each of which requires a different type of approach.

1. Innocent Absenteeism Innocent absenteeism refers to employees who are absent for reasons beyond their control; like sickness and injury. Innocent absenteeism is not culpable which means that it is blameless. In a labour relations context this means that it cannot be remedied or treated by disciplinary measures.

2. Culpable Absenteeism Culpable absenteeism refers to employees who are absent without authorization for reasons which are within their control. For instance, an employee who is on sick leave even though he/she is not sick, and it can be proven that the employee was not sick, is guilty of culpable absenteeism. To be culpable is to be blameworthy. In a labor relations context this means that progressive discipline can be applied.

For the large majority of employees, absenteeism is legitimate, innocent absenteeism which occurs infrequently. Procedures for disciplinary action apply only to culpable absenteeism. Many organizations take the view that through the process of individual absentee counseling and treatment, the majority of employees will overcome their problems and return to an acceptable level of regular attendance.

Solving the Problem of absenteeism:

Step 1: Confirming an Absentee Problem

First and foremost, you must confirm that it is not the fault of the business that is contributing to the absenteeism. An office without air conditioning will lead many people to call in sick when it is 40 degrees out, so examine the work environment and identify any contributing factors.

Once you confirm that your organization is not at fault and before deciding what kind of action to take, ensure that the person was actually scheduled to work that day, or that there werent any approvals granted for the absence.

The final part of the first step is the accuracy of how you decide to tackle the absenteeism. Accuracy is essential so ensure that you prepare carefully, follow your company policies, and when confronting your staff in question you will be searching for acceptance that there is a problem which needs to be resolved.

Step 2: Collecting the Facts

You will want to review your attendance records or establish an absenteeism summary to ensure you have the accuracy discussed in Step 1.

Be sure to compare rate of absence to the rest of the group, to ensure that your absenteeism problem is in fact an isolated one.

Identifying patterns, such as absences on Monday and Friday, will help you explore potential causes of the employees behavior.

Step 3: Preparing for an Absenteeism Interview

Assemble support documents and data Develop a focused agenda Establish a meeting time and choose an area suitable for confidential discussions.

Step 4: The Meeting

As discussed in Step 1, you will be searching for acceptance that there is a problem. Set goals which will encourage the employee to identify what is causing their behavior. The managers role is to facilitate and encourage resolution. It is important to plan well, listen carefully to the employee, and be polite in order to avoid a defensive reaction, and to respect their potential problems or complaints.

From there, together strive to develop strategies to combat the behavior and improve their overall attendance.

Step 5: The Action Plan

From a management standpoint avoid trying to solve personal problems and suggest that the employee seek professional help, such as a counseling service. Your action plan should remain focused on correcting the employees behavior that contributes to their absenteeism.

Clearly state the required changes step by step, to resolve the employees absenteeism. Set a date, time and place for a follow-up meeting to review the employees progress.

Step 6: Promoting Attendance

A positive and energetic workplace increases morale and productivity. At BBD, dressdown days with funny themes increase the overall morale, and energy levels are kept high through activities such as group walks or scavenger hunts during lunch hour.

Other ways to promote attendance are through Wellness Programs and flexible hours (flex days).