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Proactive Solutions for Managing Absence
Minimise disruption and maintain productivity with expert advice on handling staff sickness and absences effectively.
Support for Complex Absence Issues
Navigate challenging scenarios such as long-term illness or recurring absences with practical, compliant guidance.
Tailored Policies to Reduce Absence Rates
Create clear, customised absence management strategies that align with your business goals and values.
Protect Productivity While Supporting Employees
Strike the right balance between business needs and employee well-being with professional absence management advice.
Staff Sickness & Absence Management is an important way in which a company can support staff with health issues to stay in or return to work. At the same time, it enables the monitoring and managing of those employees that take unsustainable and disruptive levels of time off work.
Effective absence management is vital for any small business looking to lower their costs and boost their productivity. Lost days at work are incredibly costly and disruptive for employers and the wider economy. In the UK, the total economic cost of sickness absence is estimated to be over £100bn annually.
In addition to the direct costs, employee absence can have a significant impact on the productivity of your workforce. It can lead to feelings of demotivation from employees that have to cover absentees’ work. Low motivation is a common cause of reduced productivity. Lower productivity levels will be reflected in your small business’s finances, which are in turn reflected in the economy.
Is your business ‘sick’?
The number of working days lost because of sickness or injury, per year. The information is provided by the Office of National Statistics.
Have you got a staff sickness & absence management Policy in place?
A good Staff Sickness & Absence Management Policy will make clear exactly what is expected from the employee if they need to take time off work - explaining how the employer will monitor and manage absence.
If an employer has an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) or provides occupational health, the policy will also need to include information on those arrangements and how the employee will be supported through occupational health involvement.
The Policy should include the following information:
- How to report an absence to the employer
- When a sick note is required
- Entitlements to sick pay
- Leave for Short- and long-term sickness
- Return to work interviews
- How absence is tracked and monitored
- Review/trigger points for sickness absence meetings
- Reasonable adjustments (under the Equality Act 2010)
There is a lot that needs to go into an Absence Management (Sickness) Policy and it is important to get it right – particularly as it’s easy to fall foul of the law in this area.
- Long term absence
- Unexpected absence
- Frequent or high levels of sickness
- Absences due to stress
- Absences due to disability
- Unauthorised absence
- Back to work interviews
- Managing a return to work after a long-term illness or absence
What we do...
Whether you need help in putting an effective absence management policy together, or an urgent need to deal with a pressing problem, our qualified, experienced HR consultants can help navigate potentially difficult issues including:
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Our most FAQ's on Staff Sickness & Absence Management
Here’s some of the most common questions we get asked about our Staff Sickness & Absence Management services….6
Why is effective sickness and absence management important for my business?
Effective management of staff sickness and absence helps maintain productivity, reduce operational disruptions, and promote employee wellbeing. It ensures compliance with legal requirements and keeps your team engaged and motivated.
What steps should I take when an employee calls in sick frequently?
Frequent absenteeism should be addressed with a fair and structured approach. We can help you develop a sickness absence policy, conduct return-to-work interviews, and identify any underlying issues. Our support ensures you’re compliant and balanced in your response.
How do you handle long-term sickness absence?
We assist in managing long-term sickness by helping you follow best practices, including regular communication with the employee, obtaining medical advice, and considering reasonable adjustments. Our goal is to support both the business and the employee effectively.
Can you help create a sickness and absence policy for our business?
Yes, we can create a comprehensive sickness and absence policy tailored to your business needs, ensuring clarity on procedures, employee responsibilities, and management actions for sickness and absenteeism.
What legal obligations does my business have around sickness and absence?
As an employer, you’re required to follow legal guidelines around sick pay, employee rights, and reasonable adjustments for long-term sickness. We ensure you’re fully compliant with employment laws and best practices.
External Advice
ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service): Offers guidance on employment law, workplace disputes, and employee relations.
Federation of Small Businesses (FSB): A support network for small businesses, offering advice and resources on HR, legal, and financial matters.