There's no doubt that absence remains one of the biggest priorities and most difficult problems to overcome for UK organizations. This I believe is not down to a lack of comprehensive workplace sickness policy but perhaps the application and implementation of the policy, by line managers.

CIPD research has consistently highlighted the importance of line managers taking responsibility for managing absence and argues that the formality of conducting a return to work interview will help to drive home the seriousness with which the company views short term absence.

In some sectors sick pay days are considered just another perk of the job that should be taken so they are not wasted. However in most retail businesses, mine included, rights to sick pay is not an entitlement but only made at the managers discretion. So it remains a mystery why a number of employees have to throw a ‘sickie’ as they know they will not get paid. Minor illnesses such as colds and headaches continue to be the biggest cause of short term absence within the business.

As a company that employs a high percentage of young workers such as students on a part-time basis, one can only assume it is a lack of commitment to the job.

Whatever the reason, the realization has now dawned that all the absence management initiatives in the world won’t be effective until the root cause of the problem is identified and addressed.

One employee recently disciplined for their poor attendance commented “a good line manager makes people want to come to work in the morning”. Perhaps there lies the answer.

Maybe as well as investing in attendance management training for line managers, we also need to coach them on how to motivate, communicate with and engage with their staff. Perhaps then employees will be less likely to wake up and think "I don’t feel like going to work today". However this is a tall order for an already stretched Human Resources team.

Source: www.articlesbase.com