7 Keys to Reducing Absenteeism & Tardiness
Absenteeism and tardiness can have a significant impact on a company, including lost productivity, increased overtime costs, and elevated stress among the employees left to pick up the slack. To help manage these issues, it is a best practice for all employers to have written policies and procedures in place governing attendance and punctuality.
The following are helpful hints for managing absenteeism and tardiness.
1. Develop a policy
An attendance and punctuality policy should stress the importance of regular attendance, identify requirements and procedures for scheduling time off in advance, outline call-in procedures for unexpected absences, and cover potential consequences for policy violations.
2. Take a balanced approach
Overly strict rules and practices may be counterproductive and may encourage employees to come into work even though they are sick or incapable of performing at capacity. Excessively rigid policies may also unlawfully discourage employees from using leave to which they are entitled for legitimate purposes.
Keep in mind that employees who take leave to which they are entitled under a federal, state, or local law (e.g., jury duty, family medical leave, etc.) are generally protected from adverse action for such absences. In other words, employers are prohibited from penalizing employees for absences that are protected by these laws.
That's also why it is important to avoid no-fault attendance policies. No-fault attendance policies subject an employee to a specific form of discipline if they are absent or tardy a certain number of times, regardless of the reason. These types of policies can be problematic if one or more absences are protected under federal, state or local laws, and the employer still counts the absence against the employee.
Employers are permitted to adopt a policy that subjects employees to discipline for excessive, unapproved absences, provided that employees aren't subjected to adverse action for taking leave to which they are entitled under the law. If you adopt a policy, make sure you have safeguards in place to avoid violating these laws, and apply it consistently to your workforce.
3. Review time-off policies
Consider reviewing leave of absence and time off policies on a regular basis to ensure they are effectively meeting business needs. For example, if you offer generous sick leave but too little vacation, some employees may "call in sick" when they are actually taking a vacation day.
This is one of the reasons some employers have moved to a paid time off (PTO) program. With PTO plans, there are no distinctions between vacation, personal days, or sick leave. This allows employees more flexibility in scheduling time off.
4. Offer flexible work arrangements
Flexible work schedules and telecommuting may help employees better manage their work and personal responsibilities and ultimately limit the number of unplanned absences. While flexible work arrangements may not be practical for every job, consider evaluating such requests on a case-by-case basis.
5. Address concerns promptly and consistently
Suspected patterns should be addressed promptly and consistently. Allow employees to explain themselves, determine whether they have a legitimate reason for the absence or repeated lateness, and then decide whether disciplinary action is appropriate.
If an employee isn't meeting expectations for attendance or punctuality, address the situation promptly. Don't wait until their annual performance review.
Meet with the employee in private, express your appreciation for their contributions and be straightforward. Let them know you've noticed issues with their attendance and/or punctuality and give examples. Explain that you are trying to help the employee improve and give them an opportunity to respond.
During the meeting, the employee may reveal information that can trigger certain obligations. For example:
- If the employee discloses that the reason for their change in behavior or performance is because they're a victim of sexual harassment, launch a prompt investigation into the allegations.
- If the employee reveals they have a disability, you may be required to engage in an interactive process with the employee and provide a reasonable accommodation to the employee.
- If they reveal symptoms of burn out, offer company resources that may help, such as an Employee Assistance Program, and help them develop a plan for improving.
- And, if they are having difficulty working with another employee, guide them through resolving workplace disagreements.
At the close of the meeting, confirm that the employee has fully understood the expectations for improvement and have them acknowledge the discussion in writing. Document the meeting, including the date and substance of the conversation, and retain a record of it in the employee's personnel file.
Then, follow up with the employee to see how they're doing. If their performance/behavior hasn't improved, further intervention may be necessary.
6. Consider requesting documentation of need for leave if permitted
Most leave laws allow employers to ask employees for reasonable documentation of the need for leave. However, certain laws do have restrictions.
For example, some state and local paid sick leave laws prohibit employers from requesting documentation of absenteeism unless the employee has taken sick leave for more than three consecutive days.
Additionally, a few states and local jurisdictions have laws that require employers to offer leave that employees can use for any reason, and they may prohibit employers from seeking documentation.
Even in the absence of a restriction, consider what, if any, documentation would be reasonable to require from employees, and apply your policy consistently.
Also keep in mind that certain laws limit the type of medical information an employer can request, and any medical documentation or health information received must be kept confidential and separate from the employee's personnel file.
7. Ensure accurate time reporting
Maintaining accurate time and attendance records is critical to properly implementing attendance policies. As such, it is a best practice to maintain a timekeeping system that records work time to the minute. Employers should also communicate the potential consequences of falsifying time records.
Conclusion
Set clear standards regarding attendance and punctuality through written policies. Those policies should be drafted in compliance with federal, state and local laws, and with the company's business needs in mind. Supervisors should also receive training on administering and enforcing attendance, punctuality and leave of absence policies.
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This article was originally published as an "ADP HR Tip of the Week," a communication created for ADP's small business clients.
