Top Solutions To Minimize And Manage Absenteeism

Quelling the tension between absenteeism and total abandonment

2022 is barreling into view—and with it—the solid return of the normal workweek. Yet, the dark specter of Covid-19 still hangs, pushing employees to be more prone to fear. The CDC has been using absenteeism rates to measure the impact of Covid-19 on the American workforce, and the results are as predictable as they are dismal. Even though in April of 2020 many non-essential workers were laid-off, furloughed, or working from home, rates of absenteeism continued to rise, causing alerts for the CDC from July-December (alerts are when absenteeism hits levels that were higher than anticipated ones). Another study from PubMed found that absenteeism rates grew from 10 to 40 percent during Influenza. Findings from both of these sources suggest that the problem is not solely caused by the rates of infections, either. Without more frequent trips to the doctor, prohibited in part by the recommended Covid procedures, employees are more likely to overestimate their afflictions in order to keep their coworkers safe. This further complicates the employer’s position. Does the humble company owner beg her workers to come in anyway, knowing that it may result in a breakout? Is it safer to have employees work from home, despite reduced productivity? How do you explain how much the company’s processes are impacted when even one worker is chronically absent?

Methods of deterring this issue, though, cannot be those of the past. Rather than relying on instinctual responses, like chastising a worker, using a marketplace can direct you to more human-centered, effective methods of dealing with absenteeism. As an employer, you need to establish integrity in your policies that encourage your employees to take fewer days off: treat all employees the same, removing the stigma of mental health, and invest in a robust work-from-home option when possible.
 

When 400 employers were asked to rank the most pressing benefits solutions needed for their employees right now, a mix of both physical health and financial health-related needs rose to the top. The five highest-ranking areas of concern included mental health, financial wellness, employee communication, voluntary benefits and student loans. As employers are dealing with the stressor of absenteeism on the bottom line for revenue, they must also address the top concerns for employees, in order, to quell the tension between absenteeism and total abandonment.

There’s no sense in slotting decades-old square peg solutions into the round whole problems that keep evolving thanks to the continuation of variants of Covid. Absenteeism is not as clean-cut as it was before the pandemic, and in a competitive job market, your employees need to know your management is both compassionate and competitive. Start today to update your policies, source solutions that meet the immediate needs of your employees, (hello, pet insurance and telehealth), and spend time educating yourself on the sea of vendor options using tools to vet and engage new solutions designed to address your emerging challenges.

Hannah Robinson is a part of the Customer Success Team at The Granite List. Visit www.thegranitelist.com