A Complete Guide to Employee Absences

No matter our life circumstances, the reality for most of us, even business owners, is that we can't always control our need to be away from work. We all deserve compassion and patience when we need to take care of ourselves or our loved ones.

But it's also true that excessive employee absences can have an impact on businesses. Absenteeism can contribute to increased workload, stress and burnout of colleagues. It can also reduce productivity and profitability. And all of this comes at a financial cost: According to a Gallup-Sharecare Well-Being Index survey, the total cost due to lost productivity in 2021 was $84 billion.*

You can't prevent employee absenteeism entirely, but understanding it better will help you manage and minimize it. That's why in this guide, we'll talk about:

What is absenteeism Common causes of absenteeism The business impact of too many absences How to calculate absenteeism rates Absenteeism Management Strategies

*Gallup-Sharecare Wellness Index, 2021

Understanding employee absenteeism

Employee absenteeism occurs when team members do not show up regularly for scheduled shifts. Companies tend to count some absences each year due to illness, time off and vacation. But it becomes a problem when it happens unexpectedly and frequently, affecting the ability of other team members to do their jobs.

It is useful to define different types of absences for your workplace, because the unexpected happens to everyone. Employees deserve some flexibility and understanding, even if they can't give you much notice or warning that they'll be away. Absence types include:

Scheduled and Planned Absences: These can include vacation, personal time, time off for appointments, or parental leave. The employer is able to plan ahead and schedule other team members to replace absent colleagues. Legitimate Unplanned Absences - In the event of sudden illness, illness of family members, or accidents, these missed days are acceptable. Employers should never penalize team members for absences of this nature, although they may cause scheduling problems. Unapproved Absences - When employees do not give notice and do not get permission to take time off, it can lead to serious disruptions to the work and schedules of other team members. In these cases, employers should have a discussion with the staff member to identify the underlying reasons and prevent unauthorized absences in the future. Common Causes of Employee Absenteeism

Knowing the typical factors that contribute to high staff absence rates can help you create sick leave policies and workplace procedures that truly meet employee needs. Causes include:

Health issues and disabilities - Chronic illnesses, injuries and disabilities can lead to an increase in the number of employees absent from work, especially when their workplace is not accessible to them and other workers do not take precautions to protect their teammates from illness. Mental health issues - Depression is a leading cause of employee absences in the United States and can exacerbate symptoms of stress, burnout, and other physical health issues. Sick family members - Working parents or carers of aging family members can often miss work when their loved ones fall ill. Childcare issues - Sometimes childcare fails due to unforeseen circumstances. When this happens, parents have to take additional leaves without notice until they find temporary help. Burnout - It's more than stress. It is a combination of emotional, mental and physical exhaustion caused by prolonged stress and...