The term absenteeism in the company refers to the fact of recording more or less frequently justified or unjustified absences within the company. When this situation is encountered frequently, it undermines the company and becomes a source of stress for the employer. It is therefore important to act on the causes of absenteeism in the workplace in order to fight against this situation and prevent the consequences that may result. Through this article, discover the causes, consequences and ways to fight against absenteeism in the workplace.
What are the causes of absenteeism in the workplace?
Absenteeism at work is a situation that must be resolved quickly so as not to affect the organization and performance of the company. To avoid it effectively, it is necessary to have a clear idea of the causes on which action must be taken. A study by Malakoff humanis makes it possible to divide the causes of absenteeism at work into two categories: absences for personal reasons and absences for professional reasons.
Absences for personal reasons
This type of absence is due to personal problems encountered by employees. These are often health problems of the employee themself or of certain members of their family. But apart from health reasons, the employee’s lifestyle can also be a reason for absence from work. The personal reasons behind an absence from work are not the responsibility of the company, unlike absences for professional reasons.
Absences for professional reasons
According to a 2019 study by Malakoff humanis , absences for professional reasons are much less frequent than absences for personal reasons. However, they are much more dangerous since as long as the problem is not solved, absences continue to be recorded. Absences for professional reasons are due to working conditions, social climate, working atmosphere, occupational stress and occupational diseases and accidents. All these causes are likely to demotivate employees.
To get a clear idea of how employees perceive their work environment, you can collect their opinions on a trusted employee review platform.
What are the consequences of absenteeism in the workplace?
Absenteeism at work has many consequences on the company and the employer. In a company that wants to be prosperous, departments must work in synergy to achieve the objectives set. The absence of an employee creates an imbalance within the company. As a result, the operation of the company is disrupted. This disruption causes the company’s productivity and profitability to decline.
To keep the company on track in the event of a repetitive absence of an employee, other employees are forced to do their job for them. Their workload therefore increases and they are forced to readjust to fulfill not only their part of the contract but also that of the absentee worker. This situation can very quickly affect the social climate of the company, which becomes much more burdensome and stressful. The consequences of absenteeism in the workplace are very serious for both the employer and other workers. Hence the importance of knowing how to identify the symptoms of boron out at work and what to do about them. This will reduce work-related absenteeism .
How to calculate the rate of absenteeism at work?
The calculation of the rate of absenteeism at work is a very important indicator for the employer. It allows you to assess the development of your employees. On this basis, you can also conduct an employee satisfaction survey to get an idea of what they like and what you can improve. There is an operation that calculates the rate of absenteeism at work. The result obtained varies according to two variables: the number of days of absence and the theoretical number of days of work over a certain period (month, year).
To make the calculation, divide the number of days of absence by the number of days of theoretical work and multiply the result obtained by 100. It should be noted that the lower the rate obtained after the calculation, the better it is for the company.
How to fight against absenteeism at work?
Since the consequences of absenteeism at work are now known, it is important to put in place an action plan to effectively fight against this scourge in companies. But before you find the best way to fix the problem, you need to know the nature of the problem you’re addressing. It is therefore necessary to analyze the causes of absenteeism. For this you can ask yourself some questions:
- Does absenteeism affect a single employee or several of them?
- Is it more or less frequent during a specific time slot (night work, day work)?
- Is it more or less frequent during a specific season (winter, summer…)?
- Does absenteeism affect a specific sector of the company or all sectors?
All these questions make it possible to identify very clearly the nature of the problem. Once this step is over, solutions must be put in place.
Improve communication within the company
To allow the employee to work in a conducive environment, you must establish a climate of trust between them and you. Thus, it is easier for them to get closer to their supervisor to address problems that they encounter within the company. Feedback management in companies must be encouraged. When you install good communication within the company, you easily identify business problems and resolve them before they become reasons for absence.
Implement a good HR policy
The implementation of a good HR policy is only possible when employees feel confident enough to talk about their professional problems with the manager. The objective behind the HR policy is to reduce stress and lack of motivation among employees. Click here to learn about the importance of internal corporate communication and employer branding.
Improve the internal organization of the company
The first two steps identify the problem. Improving the company’s internal organization then makes it possible to solve it and install a healthy and productive working climate. For example, you can improve work organization, workload and find a way to motivate employees (bonus, professional development, reward).
Caring management
Opting for benevolent management will allow the employee to feel their belonging to the company. Listen, value, encourage and show interest in what the employee says.
FAQs
How to calculate the rate of absenteeism at work?
To calculate the rate of absenteeism from work, divide the number of days of absence by the number of theoretical days of work over a certain period (month or year). Then, multiply the result by 100. A lower absenteeism rate is preferable for the company, as it indicates better absenteeism management.
How to fight against absenteeism at work?
To combat absenteeism at work, it is essential to analyse the causes of absenteeism by asking specific questions such as the reasons and frequency of absences. Then, implement solutions such as improving internal communication to identify and solve professional problems, implementing a good HR policy to reduce stress and lack of motivation, improving internal organization to create a healthy work environment, and opting for benevolent management to promote employees’ sense of belonging.
