Chronic absenteeism is a chronic drain on the bottom line. Typically, the direct and indirect costs associated with absenteeism eat up 5 percent to 17 percent of an organization's total payroll. Top brass is probably looking at HR for solutions.
The first step in reducing absenteeism is spotting the employees most likely to miss work. Here are the top five predictors:
_Previous absences. The most reliable measures of employees' attendance are their past records. Ask about attendance when checking references.
_Job characteristics. Employees in jobs that require low skill or involve repetitive tasks are more likely to experience attendance problems. Encourage supervisors to find ways to vary employee job routines and responsibilities when possible.
_Stress. The more an employee feels stressed on the job, the more likely he or she is to avoid coming to work. Offer constructive ways for employees to deal with stress such as employee assistance programs, fitness center memberships and vacation scheduling.
_Shift work. Employees who work nights tend to miss work more frequently because of conflicts with home and family responsibilities. If you employ shift workers, allow room for flexible leave policies.
_Personal characteristics. Employees who show signs of aggression, instability and high sociability tend to miss work more often than others. Solution? Use selection processes such as psychological testing that identify those characteristics.
