Absenteeism

What is absenteeism?

Absenteeism is when an employee repeatedly does not appear for work as scheduled. There are generally two types of absenteeism:

Excused or approved absences

Although it’s not a typical example, even approved absences can qualify as absenteeism. Mainly when an employee takes extended time off with short or no notice. Many types of absences are allotted for workers in company policy. This can include government-mandated leaves, such as jury duty or military leave. In this instance, employees can use:

Unpaid and paid vacation days
Sick leave
Parental leave
Other related time-off policies that are included in your employee handbook

Unexplained absences

We often refer to chronic, unapproved absences when discussing employee absenteeism. This doesn’t just include being out for a full day but also coming in late and leaving early. Taking extended unauthorized breaks could also be considered absenteeism. . In some cases, absenteeism can start after an employee takes approved leave but fails to return when expected and without further approved leave. Absenteeism may be prompted by the following:

Burnout
Disengagement or dissatisfaction with work
Dislike of coworkers
Low motivation
Overwork
Stress

Why is absenteeism important to a small business?

High absenteeism often translates into lower productivity, difficult collaboration, and additional costs. When an employee takes time off, you still spend budget dollars on:

Processing their payroll
Overtime costs to cover their absence
Potentially hiring extra help

Absenteeism can lower morale and cause significant delays. Excessive absenteeism would likely affect the worker’s performance and could warrant termination. If your organization faces high absenteeism and high employee turnover, there may be an issue with the current workplace environment or workforce management procedures. To help reduce absenteeism in the workplace, employers can:

Keep your attendance and absenteeism policy updated and included in employee training
Provide support for employees dealing with challenges through benefits such as therapy, financial planning services, or remote work options, if able
Meet with the employee and ask if there is anything that would make their work easier or more fulfilling
Provide employees with frequent feedback
Reward regular attendance

It may be best to have a brief, private session with your employee to discuss their absenteeism. Using empathy in these sessions and framing the discussion to support your worker is important. Be aware that the employee may bring up issues that could result in accommodation requests, complaints about their work environment, or other work adjustment requests. The individual having this conversation should come from a place of empathy but be able to reframe the conversation on job requirements which include attendance requirements.

What is the history of absenteeism?

Historically, sick leave, PTO days, and other related benefits didn’t exist. If employees didn’t come to work, they didn’t get paid and could get fired.

Unions and employee contracts significantly changed the landscape. Over time, companies also realized that well-rested employees and the effective use of time off can translate into effective production costs and enhanced productivity. Today, we know that happy, healthy, and employee-centric employment practices support a more productive workplace. It’s often better to offer time off to attract and retain talent. And when it comes to workplace absenteeism, addressing the root causes can improve the office environment for everyone.

Other terms similar to absenteeism you should know:

Leave of Absence - This umbrella term covers various types of employee absence, and may be required depending on work location and the circumstances surrounding the leave.
Bereavement Leave - This is a special type of leave offered to employees when one of their loved ones passes away.
Leave accrual - Accrued leave reflects how many hours of paid leave an employee earns according to the benefits and policies you, as their employer, define in your personnel policies.

Summary

Absenteeism is when employees take regular, often unapproved, time off. This behavior can impact their team and reduce productivity while keeping administrative costs high. But it’s often rooted in burnout, stress, and other issues that can be addressed by the human resources management team or small business owners.