Are you concerned that 44% of workers are on the lookout for new jobs? You should be — especially if you’re experiencing an uptick in employee tardiness and disengagement. Fortunately, with the right strategies, you can keep your best employees on the payroll.
Keep reading to find helpful tips to improve employee attendance!
Set an Employee Attendance Policy
Make sure that your company has an attendance policy, and share it with all employees. Make the policy available electronically, and go over it during new employee onboarding.
What should be in the policy? You may want to require that all employees check with a supervisor before missing work. Or if they miss due to illness, request a doctor’s note for documentation.
A policy should articulate the consequences for missing work, too. This could include termination if the problem escalates. And, of course, reward strong attendance with incentives, like gift certificates or bonuses.
Offer Flexible Work Options
You may be able to avoid employee attendance issues by offering flexibility on the front end. In an era where hybrid or remote work has become a staple, consider embracing it if you don’t already.
Some employees may be missing work to care for children or elderly parents. Or they might have a long commute that causes frequent lateness when the weather is bad. If possible, offer employees the chance to work remotely on certain days to accommodate their schedules.
Look for Underlying Causes
Wondering how to improve employee attendance? Be an observant supervisor. An employee might be missing work for reasons that can be mitigated with a little compassion and concern.
For instance, you may have an employee mourning the loss of a loved one and skipping work as a result. Ask to meet with the employee and refer them to grief counselors. Be understanding and allow them to work from home for a period.
Alternatively, a new employee may be feeling overwhelmed and stressed. By talking with them, you can uncover their insecurities and work with them to get the extra training they need to be successful.
Train Supervisors in Employee Attendance Monitoring
Supervisors should be on the front lines when it comes to enforcing an employee attendance policy. This means they need the tools to ensure that their direct reports are clocking in and out — and making the most of their time. Building a respectful relationship rooted in trust is the best way to help improve employee attendance.
Supervisors can use employee attendance software to track sick days or clocked hours. Click here to learn about options that can help. You’ll be able to increase efficiency and integrate the tracking software with other systems, like those used with payroll.
Improve Employee Attendance
Good employee attendance is a positive reflection on your organization. But if you have employees who are habitually absent, make sure you have a clear employee attendance policy. Avoid jumping to conclusions, and instead, take the time to work with your employees to improve the situation.
Find more business tips to keep things running smoothly. Check back soon for new articles!
Read also: How to Set Clock-in Clock-out System to Track Employee Attendance?
