The quick wins of your absenteeism policy

Looking at what is on the table with the Parties who are trying to form a government, there is little doubt about it: the government is serious about reducing the number of people taking long-term sick leave. Reintegration is becoming more of an obligation for employers and employees. So, organisations are advised to start focussing on a structured absenteeism policy. 

A clear absenteeism policy that includes procedures for reporting illness and reintegration can give you great results relatively quickly. Important condition: you have to monitor your policy carefully from the very beginning and communicate about it regularly.

Decreased absenteeism

Intensive absenteeism communication makes an impact faster than you think. Absenteeism meetings between managers and employees, updates on your absenteeism figures and initiatives, analysis via absenteeism software, etc. For some employees, it may be enough to adjust their behaviour and make them less likely to report sick.

Get back to work quickly

Any absenteeism policy must include a structured process on how employees can return to their duties after a prolonged absence (reintegration). This immediately creates clarity: which contact person provides support during the absence, what is expected of the employee, in which phases the task package will be taken up step by step, etc. This transparency can help improve the way you bring long-term absentees back to work.

The long-term goals of your absenteeism policy

In the longer term you can safely aim for an even higher return on investment with your absenteeism policy. Continue to monitor your absenteeism figures closely – especially absenteeism percentage, frequency and zero absenteeism. This will allow you to record trends and formulate associated focus points to improve your figures over time.

Lower absenteeism costs

In the long term, an effective absenteeism policy can help you reduce direct absenteeism costs such as continued payment of wages in the event of illness and the costs of (temporarily) replacing absent employees. Prevention, timely intervention and a clear reintegration policy can help (more than) recoup the costs of your absenteeism policy.

Happy (and loyal) employees

A good absenteeism policy goes hand in hand with a comprehensive welfare policy and a positive corporate culture based on well-being. This leads to more satisfied employees who will be more inclined to commit themselves to you as an employer. That feeling of appreciation can lead to a decrease in staff turnover, and makes you a more attractive employer for new staff.

Better communications

By having open conversations about absenteeism and training your managers in it, you build an open communication culture of mutual trust. This teaches employees that it is completely okay to talk about (the causes of) absenteeism. You can also detect and address problems early on – and perhaps avoid a long absence.