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How to reduce & prevent absenteeism in the workplace

How to reduce & prevent absenteeism in the workplace

Workplace absenteeism can cause major disruptions for any organization, in any industry. Businesses lose billions annually due to high absentee rates that cause low productivity at work, impact the quality of goods or services, and demand extra time management efforts — simply put, the stakes are high. Figuring out how to reduce absenteeism in the workplace is possible, though. 

While there’s no single culprit, common reasons for worker absences include physical illness, mental health issues, burnout, and a general lack of employee morale and engagement. Learning how to address employee absenteeism and its causes is critical for fostering a supportive and efficient environment that gets employees to their desks and makes your company profitable. 

Keep reading for practical strategies on how to reduce absenteeism at work so your team is motivated and productive.

1. Offer flexible work arrangements

Recent studies show that workers of all ages expect flexible work arrangements — and nearly all (94%) say they’d benefit from having the option to work remotely. 

Flexible work arrangements can make it possible for employees to address personal needs, which can reduce stress and, ultimately, decrease chronic absenteeism. Try to offer options like: 

  • Telecommuting
  • Flex hours
  • Job sharing
  • Compressed work weeks 

Opportunities for alternative work schedules allow employees to achieve work-life balance and succeed professionally while still feeling good about being able to manage personal obligations. Flexible policies demonstrate trust and respect for your employees, which is a great way to boost organizational morale and employee attendance.

2. Invest in employee well-being

Investing in employee well-being is a crucial component of reducing absenteeism. Initiatives like health programs, therapy for employees, and stress management workshops and training can all address the root causes of an excessive absenteeism rate. As an added bonus, when your employees see that you value them enough to offer well-being initiatives and mental health benefits, loyalty and productivity will also likely increase.

3. Allow for paid sick days and paid leave

Offering paid sick days and allowing paid leave is more than just a nice-to-have today — top talent expects these benefits. Ensuring employees don’t have to choose between health and a paycheck is critical in building a supportive workplace culture. It helps contain physical health issues and address mental health crises before they impact the workplace. Beyond this, it demonstrates your commitment to employee well-being, which can reduce absenteeism.

4. Set clear attendance policies

Having clear attendance policies helps manage expectations surrounding absenteeism. It also provides a framework in which you can address chronic absences. 

Your policy should be consistent, outline acceptable reasons for absences, and inform employees on how to properly notify supervisors or leadership if they can’t be at work. The more transparent your employee absence management policy is, the less likely you’ll have misunderstandings or misuse.

5. Provide recognition and rewards

Creating a culture of presence and participation can substantially boost morale and reduce absentee rates. To motivate employees to show up (when able) and be more engaged in their roles, recognize and reward stellar attendance records. Implementing Employee of the Month awards, performance bonuses, or public acknowledgments are all effective ways to incentivize punctuality and dedication and show how much you appreciate the employees who put in the effort. 

6. Address unscheduled absences quickly

One of the best ideas on how to prevent absenteeism at work is by quickly addressing unscheduled absences. Immediate follow-up can discourage employees from taking casual or unneeded days off. It can also help identify underlying issues or problems contributing to missing work. This strategy ensures you’re handling unplanned absence issues before they escalate.

7. Ensure balanced workloads

Balancing workloads and ensuring fair expectations can prevent employee burnout and stress, both common causes of absenteeism at work. It is key to ensure workloads are evenly distributed, and expectations are reasonable. 

Regularly review assignments and deadlines to maintain balance so employees stay motivated and can achieve goals, which can reduce stress-related absences.

8. Promote healthy work-life balance

Prioritizing work-life balance for employees is essential in today’s professional landscape. It does more than just help prevent excessive absenteeism rates; it can also reduce turnover rates. Research shows organizations that emphasize work-life balance see significant benefits, including: 

  • Increased productivity
  • Reduced turnover
  • Improved employee physical and mental health
  • Boosted diversity

Promote work-life balance by encouraging employees to:

  • Take full lunch breaks
  • Use vacation time
  • Utilize flex scheduling
  • Take advantage of remote options
  • Reduce their overtime
  • Use technology tools to help manage workloads
  • Unplug outside of work hours

9. Encourage employee engagement

Focusing on employee engagement is a powerful way to reduce absenteeism in the workplace. Activities that foster a sense of belonging — like team-building exercises, autonomy in decision-making, and ensuring contributions are valued — can all increase engagement. When employees are actively engaged, they’re more likely to be present and productive.

10. Ensure a safe and healthy work environment

Providing a safe, healthy work environment is fundamental to reducing absenteeism rates. Regular safety drills, ergonomic work environments, and performing health audits can all go a long way in preventing workplace injuries and illnesses that lead to absences. These efforts go far beyond just being compliant with safety regulations; they assure employees that their well-being is a priority.

11. Check in with employees regularly

Regular check-ins help leadership gauge employee satisfaction, and effective communication can prevent future absences. It’s a great way to detect early issues or concerns that can lead to absenteeism. Conversations should be open and supportive, allowing employees to discuss challenges or needs in a safe space. 

12. Monitor employee absences

Monitoring patterns can provide insight into why people are missing work in the first place. Consider implementing systems that track data to help you identify trends or problem areas you can address. For example, if absences are primarily related to workplace stress or inadequate health policies, you can take effective steps to mitigate these things and offer support. A data-driven approach helps you create targeted interventions to manage employee absenteeism.

Enhance employee well-being with Talkspace

Supporting employee mental health and well-being is vital in learning how to reduce absenteeism in the workplace. Providing access to online therapy platforms like Talkspace can be a transformative, effective approach that makes a real difference. 

Talkspace offers online therapy from experienced, licensed mental healthcare professionals. The platform lets employees access discrete, convenient support to deal with personal mental health issues, workplace stress, or any other challenge in life causing them to miss work. Partnering with Talkspace can be a proactive game-changer in your organization’s absenteeism rates. 

There’s a direct link between mental health and workplace absenteeism — the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 12 billion (yes, billion) working days are lost to anxiety or depression each year. Further, happy employees are up to 13% more productive

Offering convenient, affordable, and widely accessible therapy empowers employees by encouraging them to tackle the personal and professional challenges they face. It also demonstrates your commitment to employee well-being. 

Contact Talkspace to learn more about integrating supportive measures and cultivating a resilient and engaged workforce. Request a demo today to get started.

Sources:

  1. Folger, Jean. 2019. “The Causes and Costs of Absenteeism.” Investopedia. June 26, 2019. https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/070513/causes-and-costs-absenteeism.asp. Accessed July 1, 2024.
  2. Brower, Tracy, PhD. 2022. “New Data Proves Flexible Work Really Works: 7 Factors for Success.” Forbes, November 9, 2022. https://www.forbes.com/sites/tracybrower/2022/11/06/new-data-proves-flexible-work-really-works-7-factors-for-success/. Accessed July 1, 2024.
  3. “Workplace Flexibility Survey.” n.d. Deloitte United States. https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/about-deloitte/articles/workplace-flexibility-survey.html. Accessed July 1, 2024.
  4. Kalev, Alexandra. 2022. “The Surprising Benefits of Work/Life Support.” Harvard Business Review. August 16, 2022. https://hbr.org/2022/09/the-surprising-benefits-of-work-life-support. Accessed July 1, 2024.
  5. Jones, Sam. 2022. “50 Million Years of Work Could Be Lost to Anxiety and Depression.” The Guardian, October 19, 2022. https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2016/apr/12/50-million-years-work-lost-anxiety-depression-world-health-organisation-who. Accessed July 1, 2024.
  6. “Happy Workers Are 13% More Productive | University of Oxford.” 2019. October 24, 2019. https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2019-10-24-happy-workers-are-13-more-productive. Accessed July 1, 2024.

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