The Day 1 Absence Management Service is a comprehensive solution designed to track, manage, and reduce sickness absence within organisations. By implementing this service, companies can effectively address the challenges associated with absenteeism while ensuring fair and consistent handling of absences.
of all working days lost due to sickness or injury in 2020 were represented by long-term absences.
days per employee per year is the average absence rate in the UK, according to the CIPD (2020).
of respondent organisations reported observing instances of presenteeism in their workforces in 2020 (CIPD).
The service operates through a 24/7 central absence line, where employees who are unable to attend work due to illness can dial in and report their absence. Trained call handlers are available to assist and gather essential information about the nature of the absence, expected date of return, and specific questions defined by the organisation. This process allows for accurate and standardised data collection.
Real-time email alerts are then sent to line managers and other relevant parties, promptly notifying them about the absence. Line managers can access a web-based portal that provides a comprehensive view of the current and up to five years of absence history for all team members. This enables managers to monitor and track patterns of absenteeism over time.
Once an employee reports their return to work, email alerts are sent to remind managers to conduct return-to-work interviews. Additionally, managers can use the system to create attendance improvement plans or initiate disciplinary procedures as necessary. These automated reminders and processes streamline the management of absences, ensuring proper follow-up and reducing the burden on HR departments and line managers.
Clients who have implemented the Day 1 Absence Management Service have reported numerous benefits. Firstly, the service ensures that all absences are received and recorded consistently through the centralised call centre, eliminating inconsistencies in adherence to sickness absence policies. This saves a significant amount of time for HR departments and line managers, who no longer need to handle individual absence calls.
The service also enhances the monthly payroll process, resulting in substantial time savings and improved accuracy in sickness absence payment calculations. This, in turn, reduces the administration of employee queries regarding salary deductions, providing a more streamlined and efficient payroll operation.
Furthermore, the management information available through the service offers additional advantages. It allows for the assessment and development of line managers’ competence in handling sickness absence. The data collected also facilitates improved adherence to company procedures, enabling organisations to address absenteeism more effectively.
In addition, it enables the identification of root causes of sickness absence, allowing for targeted health and wellbeing campaigns. By addressing these underlying issues, organisations can proactively promote employee wellbeing and reduce absenteeism in the long term.
By implementing this service, challenges like incomplete data on the causes and patterns of absenteeism and extensive time spent on absence recording and payroll calculations, are effectively addressed. Companies can ensure fair and consistent management of absences, streamline administrative processes, enhance payroll accuracy, and gain valuable insights to improve line management competence and address the root causes of absenteeism. Ultimately, the Day 1 Absence Management Service offers organisations a comprehensive solution to optimise absence management and promote a healthier and more productive workforce.