Absenteeism at work: what it is, the main causes and measures to combat it
24 de August, 2022
Missing work occasionally can be unavoidable. We’ve all had to deal with something during working hours for one reason or another. However, when employee absences become recurrent, the impact on the company can be profound.
If absenteeism is a reality in your organization, it is essential to understand its causes so that you can implement strategies to reduce it.
Join us to learn more about the concept of absenteeism, the most common causes and 5 measures to combat it.
What is absenteeism?
Absenteeism refers to the habit of not showing up for work. It occurs when employees are absent on a recurring and unplanned basis.
Absenteeism can be measured using the so-called absenteeism rate: the number of absences recorded by an employee divided by the number of expected working days. By calculating the absenteeism rate, companies can have an indicator of possible attendance problems.
Main causes of absenteeism
Some of the most common causes of absenteeism are health-related: illness, one-off injuries or mental health problems such as depression, for example.
The covid-19 pandemic has also significantly increased the number of absences from work, both by people who are ill and by those who needed to be isolated (when isolation of at-risk contacts was in place).
Stress and burnout – physical and mental exhaustion associated with professional activity and overwork – are also increasingly worrying factors in an organizational context.
In addition to these, there are other reasons why employees are not very assiduous: poor engagement with the company, lack of flexible working hours, the need to support children or the elderly, a toxic working environment, the process of looking for a new job, among others.
Measures to combat absenteeism
1 – Promote a good organizational environment
Having a good working environment is crucial for employees to feel satisfied and motivated. Hostile, toxic, overly competitive and non-inclusive environments are detrimental to employees’ motivation and, ultimately, their well-being, and can lead them to miss work.
2 – Employees’ health and well-being first
Since most absences are associated with health reasons, ensuring the well-being of employees should be at the top of any organization’s priorities.
This can be done through occupational health consultations, measures to ensure all safety conditions in the workplace, or by providing health insurance that guarantees easier access to health care.
In addition, there are other initiatives that companies can take: providing access to water and fruit in the workplace; having healthy meal options in the canteen, if they have one; promoting physical activity (they can offer special conditions at gyms, organize tournaments, running groups, etc); organizing yoga or meditation sessions; among others.
3 – Flexibility is here to stay
Work-life balance is increasingly valued by employees. We all have a personal life that coexists with our professional activity. And sometimes the possibility of having flexible hours or working remotely for a few days can make it easier to resolve certain issues: going to an appointment or accompanying a family member, staying with a child at home if they are ill, going to a parents’ meeting, among many others.
Not having a rigid timetable, as well as having the possibility of working remotely, can help increase employee satisfaction and well-being, thus preventing absenteeism.
4 – Invest in a culture of recognition
Employees like to see their performance recognized. Having a recognition policy is very important for maintaining the motivation levels of human capital.
In addition, you can adopt ways of recognizing and rewarding employee attendance (through monetary prizes or extra days off, for example). In this way, you convey that their presence at work is valued and also encourage those who tend to be absent to reduce the number of absences.
5 – Involve employees
Workers who are more involved with the company (with the organizational culture and its values, with the business objectives, with the team) become more committed and therefore more assiduous. This sense of belonging increases their motivation to go to work.
Involving employees can mean many things: investing in their personal and professional growth (training opportunities and skills development), creating career progression plans, carrying out team building activities, promoting moments in which employees can give their suggestions and opinions about the company, among others.
Combating absenteeism at work can be a long and complex process. That’s why it’s important to understand the main causes so that you can act on them.
Do you think these strategies could be useful in your company? Tell us all about it!