It’s estimated that absence from work costs the UK economy over £13 billion per year, with the ‘average’ employee taking around seven days off sick annually. The need for managers, HR people and leaders to control absenteeism is critical if a company is to survive and prosper.

But just what is ‘absence’? And how do we go about managing it and reducing it wherever we can, without falling foul of employment law?

As well as the usual training material, attendees on this course also receive several useful handouts and exercises relating to absence management.

Topics covered:

• An Absence Management Model – this section identifies a simple model for managers to apply when dealing with absenteeism 
• Defining Absence – the text book definition will help learners clearly understand what is meant by absence 
• Types of Absence – unravelling the different types of absence and distinguishing between absence and leave 
• Classifying Absence – by classifying types of absence, the learner can begin to get a steer on how to manage it 
• Statistics – identifying the real cost of absence and looking at regional and sector differences 
• Reasons for Absence – considering the high-level issues that have an impact on absence, like culture and job design 
• Causes of Sickness – here the national league tables of sickness causes are discussed, giving the learner the chance to reflect on their own team or company 
• Absence Management – Stage 1 – contracts, policies, procedures and legal entitlements are all examined here, to allow learners to get a grasp of what they have to know to 
• Absence Management – Stage 2 – record keeping, costing absence and benchmarking provide the chance for analysis and understanding in the context of the learner’s own organisation 
• Absence Management – Stage 3 – setting out the skills and interventions that managers need to apply in the effective management of absence, including: communication, professional advice, workplace issues and return to work interviews 
• Traditional Approaches – an examination of performance management, sick pay, discipline, recruitment and selection and how these can lend themselves to effective absence management 
• Reducing Absenteeism – through less traditional approaches, looking at ‘carrots and sticks’, targets, employee assistance, unusual initiatives and organisational culture. 
• Recent Developments – considering the impact of ‘fit notes’ and potential pandemics.