Explanatory notes.

1. Explanatory notes. Absence causes lost work, extra overtime, increased rejects, customer annoyance and missed deadlines. In addition staff with low absenteeism are demoralised by those who take excessive time off. Well, you can make a real impact using a zero tolerance policy backed by good procedures, including accurate record keeping. Central to the process is an effective ‘Back to Work Interview’. Applied to everyone returning to work after absence, this is a sensitive, non-threatening and reflective meeting with the manager. It always assumes absence is genuine, seeking instead to identify the causes and agree solutions to ensure that it is not repeated. The aim is to find underlying causes of absenteeism that are not always revealed by traditional methods. These include low morale, stress, bullying, poor leadership, personal problems, alcohol abuse and, especially relevant these days, personal value systems. Thus all absentees expect to face a probing yet reasonable, face-to face interview immediately upon their first morning back. They will be expected to justify their absence, identify causes and formulate an action plan to avoid a recurrence. The impact is significant with examples of company-wide reductions in absenteeism in excess of 50% being reported. This presentation should help you to encourage your managers to deliver such a process. The workshop includes only one role play, but a second has been provided so that extra ‘practice’ can be allowed for. The role play scenarios are designed to be cut in half so that each person only sees one part in preparation.

2. Absence Management

3. Introduction • Housekeeping • Introductions • Timings • Objectives • Questions

4. Objectives • Review reasons for absenteeism • Look at existing policy / procedures • Absence Management Interviews

5. Why manage absence? • Cost (£11 billion per annum in UK) • Customer Service • Fairness – to all • Best practice

6. Case study • Major UK employer • 2000+ people • Mixed workforce • Many part-timers • Absence halved (8%+ reduced to 4%)

7. Reasons for absence • ‘I thought it was Sunday’‘I had to sort my socks’‘The wind was blowing against me’‘The cat was having kittens’ • Exercise – 2 lists • Causes of absenteeism • Work and non-work related

8. Possible causes - work • Low morale / job dissatisfaction / boredom • Stress • Poor working environment • Ratio of staff to workload • Lack of team cohesion • Poor leadership • Lack of training

9. Possible causes – non work • Sickness • Inadequate nutrition • Poor physical fitness • Personal value systems / self-motivation • Monday / Friday syndrome • Personal problems • Substance / alcohol abuse

10. Best practice policy • Clear approach • Trained managers / supervisors • Trained staff at Induction • Sympathetic Absence Management Interviews (AMI’s) • Shared responsibility – Personnel & line managers

11. Sound process • Good systems of recording • Absence always taken as genuine • Zero Tolerance for abusers • True costs of absenteeism known

12. Sound process • Return to work interview in every case • Sensitive, face to face AMI • Appraisals? • Eternal vigilance!

13. What happens here now? • Who should people ring? • Who records, keeps statistics? • When does disciplinary start? • Is there a policy • Is it fully applied? • Consistently?

14. Policy and responsibilities • What is / should be included • To reduce impact of sickness • Organisational responsibilities - time off for sickness- pay when sick- consistent, fair, reasonable, sensitive- supporting managers

15. Managers’ responsibilities • Recording • Monitoring • Managing • Implementing guidance effectively • Ensure your team are properly trained in absence procedure • Induction is the place for this – reinforce at team meetings

16. Staff responsibilities • Regular attendance • Reporting sick as per procedure • Ensuring a speedy return to work • Not attending when certified sick • Informing manager of any health issue impacting upon performance

17. Why use the AMI process? • ‘Counselling’ approach most effective • Sensitive, non-threatening • Preventative • No negative impact • Works only if manager is involved

18. WRRAF • W – welcoming • R – reflective listening / body language • R - reframing • A – action planning • F – follow-up

19. Welcoming • Establish trust • Express positive regard • Show compassion / empathy • Non-threatening, non-critical • All absence is genuine

20. Reflective listening • Listen well • Reflect on each statement made • Think what you have heard • Power of silence • Probe / clarify / reflect back • No solutions at this stage • Mirror body language

21. Reframing • Separate symptoms / causes / solutions • Put into another context • Their proposals NOT yours • Their ownership AND yours • Only subtle suggestions from interviewer • Proposals should be specific actions

22. Action planning • Agree action(s) • Specific • Measurable • Realistic

23. Follow-up • Summarise Actions to be taken • Clarity re consequences • Put agreed actions in writing • Ensures taken seriously • Agree a date to meet again

24. AMI agenda • Know their history • Welcome them • State purpose • Ask if fit to return • Interview using WRRAF model

25. AMI agenda • Explain how they were missed • Explain how their work was covered • Discuss reasons for absence • Identify problems & assistance required • Explain how they stand on procedures • Complete relevant questionnaire • If sensitive issues arise refer to Personnel

26. Practice session • Working in pairs • Interviewer (manager) and Interviewee • Read scenario 1 • 20 minutes interview / 10 minute debrief • Feedback

27. AMI meeting environment • Private • Free from interruption • Allow adequate time • Non aggressive • Face to face

28. Next steps? • What will you take away? • 5 minutes reflection • 5 minutes in pairs • 2 to 3 actions for each • Feedback & discussion

29. Summing up / Questions • What are key things learned? • Further needs? • Any questions? • Objective achieved? • Evaluation sheets! • Close