HANDLING SICKNESS ABSENCE

How much does Sickness Absence cost your business?

Sickness Absence can be a significant cost to your business. A recent Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development report quoted that Sickness Absence can cost a business up to £666.00 per year per employee! On average, an employee takes at least 6 days' sick leave every year.

Do you measure the impact of Sickness Absence?

For a small to medium sized business, this can have a significant impact on the bottom line.

Are fair and consistent procedures in place?

At Plain Talking HR we offer a FREE one hour consultation to discuss your current policy and procedures on not only Sickness Absence but also other types of absences, both authorised and unauthorised.

When your employees are absent due to sickness, do you:

• Have an efficient absence recording system?
• Keep in regular contact?
• Obtain medical reports to assess their condition and ability to return to work?
• Offer light duties or alternative work to encourage a quicker return to work?

When an employee returns to work after a Sickness Absence do you hold a "Return to Work Interview"?

If they have a Disability, do you consider making reasonable adjustments in the workplace to enable the individual to return and remain at work?

If the employee is unlikely to return to work, do you:

• Make sure that you have obtained up to date medical information on their health condition?
• Hold a meeting with the employee to discuss their medical prognosis and its probable consequences?
• Have a procedure to enable you to terminate their contract of employment if appropriate?

If the Sickness Absence process is abused, do you have the resource and expertise to manage a Disciplinary procedure which could result in a fair dismissal?

Plain Talking HR will assist you in developing processes within an Absence Management programme which will cover all of the issues highlighted above and we will support you in managing them.

« Return to HR Issues