A 2010 study conducted by Mercer states that “incidental unplanned” absences result in a 19 percent net loss of productivity. That is on top of the increased costs, such as possible overtime, and the negative morale of the workers asked to pull double duty.

There are many reasons why an employee may call in to work for unplanned time off. Absenteeism can range from illnesses, family issues (e.g., daycare or taking care of a family member), personal issues or just feeling entitled to the time off. According to a CCH 2007 Unscheduled Absence Survey, 13 percent of people who called in to work cited being stressed out as main the reason for being absent. Slightly more than one in four absences falls into the “mental health day” category.

In order to see the impact and cost of unscheduled absences, an employer should ask a few questions:
     Who is absent?
     When were they absent?
     How often are they absent?

When an employer has a well implemented time and attendance system, it will help determine if absenteeism patterns are occurring. A time and attendance system can assist by identifying employees that are not only absent more frequently but also which employees have to pick up the slack.

There are two methods an employer can use to help employees better manage their time off and reduce the instances of calling in for the day.

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