Absenteeism at work is a phenomenon affecting many companies around the world.
From time to time, managers have to deal with cases of repeated, unjustified absence from work.
This problem can have serious consequences for a company’s productivity.
So it’s essential to find the right approach and the right solutions.
The first step is to understand the causes of employee absence from work.
What are the causes of absence from work, and what could be the consequences of poor management?
What solutions can be implemented to effectively manage cases of unjustified or repeated absence from work?
In this article, we explore the keys to better managing absenteeism at work.
What is absenteeism at work?
According to numerous studies, absenteeism rates at work have risen substantially in recent years.
Unfortunately, this can have disastrous repercussions for business operations.
Definition of absenteeism at work
By definition, absenteeism from work can be considered as the repeated, unjustified absence of an employee from his or her workstation.
In the context of an employment relationship, it is generally required that an employee be present at his or her workstation at set times, except in the case of legitimate and justified reasons.
This requirement is based on the fundamental principles of labor law, but is also part of the best practices to be promoted in human resources management.
On a more specific legal level, the employment contract stipulates a number of obligations that guide the relationship between employer and employee.
Among these obligations, the employee undertakes to provide work in exchange for remuneration.
This includes the obligation to report for work at the times and on the days specified, except in the case of legitimate reasons for absence.
Employees are therefore required to be at their posts to perform their duties and contribute to the achievement of the company’s objectives.
Any breach of this rule is considered to be absenteeism.
The different forms of absenteeism at work
To measure and reduce absenteeism in the workplace, it is essential to accurately identify the types of absenteeism and their characteristics.
For example, the fact that an employee is absent from his or her workstation does not automatically mean that there is absenteeism.
It is important to distinguish legitimate and justified absences from unjustified or repeated absences, which can be qualified as absenteeism.
Legitimate and justified absences
Certain absences from work can be justified or legitimate.
These are periods of absence from work that are recognized and allowed by the employer due to specific and valid circumstances.
These absences are generally covered by laws, or internal company policies.
For example, if the company has a policy of stress management at workIt may include the granting of paid leave regulated by law.
The same applies to absences for health reasons, whether short or long term.
In general, these periods of absence must be justified by the presentation of a medical certificate.
Employees are then required to take advantage of these periods of absence to recover and return to work in better shape.
In addition, special leave may be granted for specific reasons, in accordance with company policies and current legislation.
These may include :
- Paternity and maternity leave ;
- Parental leave ;
- Adoption leave ;
- Family leave.
During the vacation period, the employee is not required to be present at work.
Similarly, periods of absence due to the fulfillment of certain civic and professional obligations are generally considered legitimate and justified absences.
For example, employees may be authorized to take time off to vote, or to attend vocational training courses designed to improve their qualifications.
Finally, if they are documented and communicated to the employer, certain absences for personal emergencies can be considered legitimate or justified.
Unjustified or repeated absences
Unlike legitimate and justified absences, unjustified or repeated absences are not covered by valid reasons.
They may therefore be indicative of problems likely to affect the smooth running of the company.
This is known as absenteeism from work.
Absenteeism from work therefore relates more specifically to periods of absence from work for which the employee does not provide a valid reason or does not comply with the company’s internal notice policies.
It also applies to repeated absences, whether justified or not.
Clearly, a justified absence becomes a case of absenteeism when it is repeated.
This is the case, for example, when an employee takes sick leave after sick leave.
The aim of this classification is to more clearly identify alarming cases of absenteeism from work that highlight problems to be resolved within the company.For example, an employee’s absence may indicate that he or she is not being put in good working conditions.
L’entreprise peut alors mettre en place les solutions adéquates pour y remédier.
To do this, we need to distinguish more specifically between voluntary and involuntary forms of absenteeism.
Involuntary absenteeism
Involuntary absenteeism from work refers to unjustified or repeated absences that are beyond the employee’s control.
These absences are generally due to unforeseen situations that arise.
For example, the employee may face setbacks due to weather conditions that make the journey to work impassable.
Voluntary absenteeism
On the other hand, when absenteeism from work is the result of a conscious or intentional choice on the part of the employee, we speak of voluntary absenteeism from work.
Effective management of absenteeism in the workplace requires the implementation of strategies appropriate to the forms of absenteeism identified.
Understanding the causes of absenteeism at work
The fight against absenteeism in the workplace can only be effective if we first understand the causes of this phenomenon.
This analytical work can lead to lasting solutions that can be integrated into company management.
Employee-related causes
More often than not, absenteeism from work is influenced by factors linked to the employee himself.
In this case, the causes of absenteeism can be grouped into two broad categories:
- Health problems ;
- Personal problems.
Health problems can prevent an employee from coming to work.
Indeed, certain physical or mental illnesses can occur at any time during the employee’s contract with the company.
For example, too heavy a workload in a company can cause stress, especially if the company does not work to improving quality of life at work.Personal problems, meanwhile, can create complicated situations for employees, who need to strike a good balance between their professional and family responsibilities.
In the family in particular, certain responsibilities may arise suddenly and require immediate attention, disrupting the employee’s routine.
The employee is then forced to take time off work to deal with the situation.
Company-related causes
Some causes of absenteeism at work are linked to the organization or the employer.
In the current economic climate, employees no longer work just for pay.
They are also looking for a stimulating work environment that fosters their personal and professional development.
Unfortunately, despite all their good will, some employers struggle to meet these essential employee needs.
Employees need working conditions that motivate them to fulfill their professional responsibilities.
Consequently, faced with a work environment characterized by inadequate facilities or unhealthy conditions, employees are likely to take the voluntary decision to take time off.
What’s more, even if they remain motivated to work, a poor environment can lead to health or well-being problems.
On the other hand, some employees may be demotivated by a lack of effective communication within the organization.
Clearly, absenteeism at work can also be explained by the fact that employees don’t feel listened to, valued or connected to other team members.
This situation can lead to a feeling of frustration and general job dissatisfaction among employees.
This can lead to an increase in absenteeism among employees who feel isolated.
However, job dissatisfaction can also be due to a lack of opportunities for career advancement within the company.
Employees can feel disconnected when they don’t see opportunities for professional growth or development within the organization.
Without their commitment, it’s difficult to reduce absenteeism.
The consequences of absenteeism for the company
Absenteeism in the workplace is a thorny problem that can have serious repercussions on employee productivity and the working climate in the workplace.
The direct consequences of absenteeism at work
When employees are absent, the tasks entrusted to them are not carried out.
This can lead to project delays and a drop in organizational performance.
Indeed, teams are often forced to redistribute unfinished tasks to other employees.
Unfortunately, since absenteeism from work is unforeseen, this situation can disrupt the production process and the automated systems put in place to optimize productivity and performance.
Furthermore, to reduce disappointment, the company often hires temporary replacements or pays overtime to existing employees.
However, this represents a substantial increase in costs that may not have been foreseen in the organization’s budget.
What’s more, these costs, added to possible health costs if the absent employee is ill, can quickly add up to operational disruption.
The indirect consequences of absenteeism at work
The direct consequences of absenteeism from work can have other consequences if the situation is not managed effectively.
First and foremost, absenteeism from work can discourage employees who are present and create tension within the team.
Indeed, when an employee fails to turn up for work without valid justification, the rules governing the way the organization operates are called into question.
As a result, there may be a collective loss of motivation among other employees who have to take on additional tasks.
They may feel overworked and undervalued.
So, without consistent management of the situation, absenteeism from work can damage team cohesion and general morale.
In addition, project delays and work overload can lead to errors and a drop in work quality.
A reduction in production efficiency can have a detrimental effect on service quality and the company’s reputation.
In this case, the repercussions on sales performance could be disastrous.
Keys to preventing absenteeism in the workplace
In view of the potential consequences of absenteeism in the workplace, it is essential to take the necessary steps to prevent unjustified or repeated absences.
Improving working conditions
Preventing absenteeism in the workplace starts with providing employees with good working conditions.
In other words, you need to create the conditions for a healthy, ergonomic and flexible working environment.
In this way, employees who feel good at work are less likely to be absent for health or well-being reasons.
To achieve this, the company needs to adopt a proactive, holistic approach.
This starts with a regular assessment of working conditions and employee needs.
This means measure well-being in order to implement appropriate measures to improve working conditions.
This can include investing in quality equipment and facilities, while ensuring that workspaces are clean and well-maintained.
At the same time, care must be taken to adapt the ergonomics of workstations to the physical needs of employees.
In this way, the company can ensure that employees work in sufficient comfort for maximum productivity.
Flexible working hours are also important.
In fact, employees who benefit from flexibility can better reconcile their professional and personal responsibilities.
As a result, they have more options for dealing with situations that lead to absenteeism from work.
Promoting employees’ mental well-being
A healthy, balanced work environment contributes to employee satisfaction, productivity and commitment.
It is also an excellent tool for preventing absenteeism.
Stress and anxiety are major factors contributing to absence from work.
To prevent their occurrence in the workplace, it is advisable to set up mental well-being programs.
For example, the company can organize workshops to help employees better manage stress and burnout.
In addition, physical activities such as fitness classes or group sports sessions could be excellent ways of reducing stress.
Similarly, the company can create dedicated relaxation areas in the workplace, where employees can unwind and recharge during their breaks.
Finally, it’s a good idea to put in place internal policies to encourage a better work-life balance among employees.
For example, policies to support parents can contribute to the employee loyalty and reduce absenteeism.
Strengthening communication and recognition
Companies need to set up feedback and recognition mechanisms to prevent absenteeism at work.
This will encourage a strong and effective corporate culture focused on open communication and recognition.
The aim is to offer employees a working environment in which they are listened to, valued and supported.
In concrete terms, this means rewarding diligence and performance through recognition policies that value employees’ efforts.
However, rewards for hard-working employees need to be sufficiently motivating.
In addition, it can be useful to award them at ceremonies or team meetings, to publicly recognize efforts made.
Next, work to create a climate of trust, where employees are encouraged to voice their concerns.
A good way to do this is to set up an anonymous suggestion box to enable employees to share their ideas and concerns.
Similarly, regular meetings with employees are an excellent way to discuss their concerns and toimprove the working atmosphere.
Ces réunions peuvent contribuer à resserrer les liens entre les employés pour réduire l’absentéisme au travail.
How can you effectively manage absenteeism at work?
Despite preventive measures, absenteeism from work can still occur.
Managers must take steps to limit the negative repercussions.
Set up regular monitoring
To effectively manage absenteeism in the workplace, the company needs tools and indicators to measure and monitor absences.
More specifically, it involves using human resources management (HRM) systems to record employee absences.
These systems can be used to track employee absence days and reasons for absence.
The next step is to analyze the data collected to identify trends and potential problems.
Analysis can be based on key indicators such as :
- Absenteeism from work;
- Length of absence ;
- Frequency of absences ;
- Absence rotations.
Certain indicators, such as the reasons for absences, can be included in interviews when employees return from absence. collaborative and participative management.
Cette démarche permettra d’identifier clairement les causes de l’absentéisme au travail pour élaborer des solutions adaptées.
Managing absences on a case-by-case basis
To meet employees’ needs and reduce absenteeism rates, the company must adopt a personalized approach to each case of absenteeism from work.
For example, if an employee is frequently absent for health reasons, the company can offer medical support or wellness programs.
For employees who are absent due to professional conflicts, there are solutions for identifying conflicts in the workplace and resolve them peacefully.
Talking to the employee
In addition to the return interview, it’s a good idea to talk to the absent employee about the solutions that have been considered to help reduce absenteeism at work.
This is an opportunity to ask open-ended questions and listen carefully to the employee’s responses.
To be successful, managers must avoid making judgments and assumptions.
Instead, they should encourage employees to express their feelings and needs.
This can lead to alternative solutions better suited to their needs.
In particular, the company could consider having telecommuting teams to reduce absenteeism.