Partner Article

Breaking the sickness cycle…

When we consider employees sickness absence, for many SME’s it can have a massive impact on your business, from many different aspects.

As an SME, my own concerns are based on cost, client relationships, increased workload to others, employees attitude and is there any underlying reasons – the overall impact can have a crippling affect.

As an average in the UK, workers are four times more likely to take days off work due to sickness than their global counterparts. The average time off in the UK due to illness is now 9.1 days per year. This is evident in the public sector, retail, engineering and manufacturing.

Over recent years many employers have dealt with sickness in several different ways. This may be anything from a counselling service to dismissal, it is vital whatever your business’s chosen route that you protect your business – follow the legal guidelines.

So what can you do to reduce your absence levels?

Employee engagement

Employee engagement is about creating a positive culture together with your employees. Employees should understand how the business works and the business should understand how the employees work, developing a deliberate partnership. The business needs to be systematic in dealing with all things that affect human behaviour.

Consider how different the environment is between people that are motivated, energised and valued as opposed to an environment where people are miserable and are not appreciated.

So if you operate an SME, make sure you build trust, encourage employees and listen to your business’s employee needs.

Attendance management policy

Have a clear policy in place for absence, ensure employees know not only where to find it, that they fully understand it. Ensure managers’ follow the procedure to give consistence to all employees.

Your absence policy must be a live working document; employees need to sign to show acceptance and understanding. It must be included in the induction, it is good practice to do an annual refresh of the policy through employment.

With the support of a good attendance management policy you will lay the foundation of your business and how you would like it to shape your company culture.

Lifestyles

Your employees’ health and wellbeing both at work and home is very important, as a business the more you can do to support your employees the more they will appreciate and enjoy. One local recruitment company I work with organise a weekly Boot Camp session for its employees, in addition they have set up a weight loss club with weekly weigh-in’s.

Many of the employees are participating; the employer allows time during the day for companies to come on to their site to discuss healthy eating and sensible weight loss methods.

Not all companies can of course do this but if you can encourage and support your employees in health and wellbeing issues it will pay dividends.

I have mentioned only a few of the useful suggestions that are possible to reduce your absence levels and hopefully break the sickness cycle. If you need any advice or support don’t hesitate to contact Oculus HR.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Louise Kennedy .