Seasonal sickness

This is the message from Croner, UK experts in workplace issues. British Airways’ current dispute with staff, and impending strike, shows all too clearly the problems that can mount from mismanaging absence. Employers are being advised to put effective systems in place now to tackle the rise in the run-of-the-mill cold. To best prepare for staff shortages stemming from seasonal illnesses, employers are advised to put contingency plans in place that look at outsourcing and restructuring to ensure staffing levels remain at a productive level – a step that will help tackle the enormous financial impact on the UK economy from sickness absence, which last year reached £12 billion. But as highlighted in the BA case, communicating with staff about absence management issues is just as important, and will ultimately prevent sickness led rifts between employers and staff. Jo Pitts, employment advisory consultant at Croner, says: “Communication is the key to ensuring staff buy-in to and is confident in the company’s handling of sickness leave. Employers should make staff aware of absence policies and back them up with ‘return to work’ interviews. Employees then know and feel like their personal circumstances are being taken into account, while management can spot any trends or patterns of absence and take appropriate action.” Croner advises employers to employ flexible absence management systems to tackle the unpredictability of sickness and to encourage a relationship of mutual trust with staff. Pitts continues: “Some companies rely on rigid absence management systems that focus solely on the number of absences. A blended, more flexible approach is much more conducive to creating an environment of mutual trust between staff and management. “Every case of sickness leave is different and both the personal circumstances of the employee and the work environment need to be considered. For instance, flight crew are much more susceptible to catching and passing on colds because of the small, confined working space and high interaction with other people. “A case-by-case approach ensures illness is not spread to the rest of the workforce, or customers for that matter, while also ensuring employees feel their health and well-being are considered by their employers.” A ‘best-practice’ approach to absence management should also promote health awareness in the workplace as a way to lower sickness absence and as another relationship-building technique. Practical steps can take the form of inviting a nutritionist to present to staff, offering discounts on gym memberships or introducing mechanisms for reducing stress in demanding work environments. Croner’s absence management advice to employers · Ensure that senior managers, line managers and supervisors have the ability to conduct interviews and to support staff as appropriate during and following sickness absence by conducting frequent training sessions · Sickness absence should be conducted in a context of mutual trust and confidence and in the environment of a safe and healthy workplace · Give primary responsibility for sickness absence to senior managers or HR managers · Improve employment conditions to reduce workplace stress and accidents, which are often a root cause of sickness absence · Continue to communicate with the employee to gauge the seriousness of long term absence for the business · Consider requiring absent employees to phone in by a given time on each day of absence for the business · Meet with employees in an attempt to resolve short term absentee issues