With employee absenteeism on the rise, employers are seeking more innovative ways to retain good workers and create environments that are conducive to increased productivity, employee loyalty, and fewer missed days of work. Employee input is used in many organizations with very good results.
Absenteeism is a costly problem for companies.
It is estimated that absent team members cost employers around $3,600 per hourly worker and $2,650 per salaried worker. These costs include the wages paid to the employee who is absent as well as the wage paid to the worker who replaces them. There are also administrative costs associated with managing the employee’s absence.
Other costs associated with absenteeism include:
- Reduction in productivity
- Decrease in the quality of products or services due to untrained staff filling in or fatigue and burnout from employees working overtime due to understaffing
- Safety problems due to employees who are not adequately trained, fatigued and overworked workers, rushing to catch up productivity
- Managerial hours increase due to counseling the absent employee, helping to keep productivity up, and finding/hiring an appropriate replacement
- Decreased employee morale as employees must do extra work due to the absence
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Employee focused programs can curb absenteeism.
Many companies have found that cultivating an employee-oriented culture can curb absenteeism significantly. This means that management maintains a true open-door policy and employees are asked and encouraged to provide input on things that affect the organization and staff. It gives employees a voice and allows management to see the company from a different perspective.
When employees feel that they have a voice and their input is valued in their organization, many good things happen. A decrease in absenteeism is just one.
It can provide the employer with valuable insight that can guide organizational changes.
Employee input can provide managers and key decision makers with an “in the trenches” view of the workforce. By asking questions and having open, honest conversations with employees, managers can gain a much better understanding of how employees operate, their needs as it pertains to their work, and even how their work environment may be contributing to a team members absence.
Allowing employees the opportunity to voice their concerns and observations can alert management of potential problems or even developing situations that they can address early. By encouraging employees to offer their experiences and opinions, managers are given a fuller, more complete and critical view of the company and help them identify any areas that need to be corrected or changed.
It can shed light on hiring issues that may not be readily evident to hiring managers.
Employees are “on the ground” and are often privy to situations and employee attitudes that hiring managers may not be aware of. Employees talk to each other and may reveal things that they would not be comfortable discussing with management. However, in an environment where the employee is encouraged, and their input is genuinely sought, they may be more open to sharing information and concerns.
The flip side of cultivating a culture where employee input is embraced is the possibility of complainers and “tattlers.” Managers will need to be alert and aware of employees who engage in this type of activity, researching the situation before acting upon it. Still, even these types of situations can be very revealing. They can provide insight into employee attitudes and how they interact with each other, even alerting to adverse situations that may exist in the organization.
It can help employees feel more engaged and vested in the company.
When employees feel like they have a voice in their workplace, they are more engaged and have a sense of ownership in the company. It is no longer just a place to work, but is a place where they belong, are valued, are wanted, and their opinions matter. When you have employees who feel this way about where they work, they are much less likely to miss work and absenteeism declines naturally.
Employee input is very beneficial for both employees and the organization. In a time when employee engagement is a major concern, this is one step that can make a real difference. Employees are encouraged and empowered, they feel respected, and morale soars. They are excited about the company, believe in its vision and mission, they feel like they are part of something and they own it. And that is when absenteeism becomes a non-issue and the culture truly thrives.
Download our free checklist, 8 Ways to Reduce Employee Benefits Costs.
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For more information on curbing absenteeism and other employee concerns, contact Employers Select Insurance Services via our website or by calling 916-248-4777 and we will be happy to help you.
