Unexpected absences can be frustrating for every business. Unfortunately, it is common for companies to encounter last-minute time off requests. Sometimes, life gets in the way, and employees may call in sick due to illness, emergency or lack of motivation for work. Failing to fill the shift forces the team to compensate for the workload, resulting in lower productivity and increasing work stress. Additionally, it may increase the financial burden as employers may need to cover wages for both the absent employee and their replacement. Dealing with last-minute absences can be unpleasant and frustrating. However, here is an action plan you can reinforce to reduce the absenteeism rates
How do we reduce absenteeism?
Implement Absenteeism Policy
It is recommended that companies implement Absenteeism Policies to clearly define company boundaries. An Absenteeism Policy helps employees identify and understand companies’ expectations for absence and leave. This policy should be enforced during onboarding to ensure transparency and compliance.
At CrewCard, the Absenteeism Policy can be added to ‘Resource’, which can be applied to the onboarding process alongside other company policies.
Promote a positive communication culture
Having smooth communication in a team can significantly increase productivity and employee satisfaction. CrewCard offers many communication channels to help companies streamline internal communication.
We have inbuilt SMS systems, real-time shift updates and note features to make internal communication more efficient. Users can quickly access these features through cross-device to keep the team informed about emergencies.
Keep a good Leave Record
A good leave record can help organisations keep track of individual productivity and financial management.
CrewCard’s ‘Leave’ page allows managers to add any leaves, assisting managers in monitoring individual productivity and keeping track of wages for financial administrations.
What about during a last-minute absence?
Efficient Labour Sourcing
During an unexpected absence, finding a cover is a top priority for managers. To maximise job control, having a good employee record that tracks availability, skills, and certifications is essential to help you find the right staff to cover shifts quickly.
CrewCard features a centralised system that securely stores all employee information derived from the employment details entered during onboarding. Managers can quickly search staff through filters in the ‘Search Crew’ page, significantly reducing your labour sourcing time. To find a cover, navigate to the ‘Search Crew’ and use filter options to find the most suitable employee to cover the absence.
Streamline Scheduling
CrewCard’s scheduling system makes the roster easier than ever. Simply edit through the ‘Shift’ page, enabling you to quickly offer shifts or send a message to the staff member. To do this, click the drop-down to change the rostered staff member. This feature streamlines the scheduling process and saves you the hassle of recreating a shift.
Empathise and Check in with your Employee
One powerful strategy to reduce absenteeism is to understand your employees. Despite the frustration in employees’ last-minute absences, try not to jump to conclusions, which may cause disagreements and increase employee turnover.
Most of the time, last-minute absence may result from sickness or emergency. Having an empathetic mindset and checking in to find out the reason for absence and expected return dates can make employees feel valued and improve employee retention. Even if employees are absent due to a lack of motivation, it is essential to investigate the causes of their disengagement to prevent a negative impact on your team’s productivity.