Absenteeism in the workplace

Absenteeism in the workplace is a significant issue in South Africa. Absenteeism in the workplace refers to the habit of employees failing to report for work without prior notification or any legitimate reason and is not limited to the employees being absent or not showing up for work. Absenteeism includes arriving late or leaving early and extended lunch or tea times.
Absenteeism has a major impact on productivity, and businesses lose millions of productive days annually. According to the SAFACTS website, any business target for absenteeism rate should be 1.5%. South African companies’ average absenteeism rate is between 3.5% and 6%. This equates to roughly between 8 and 15 days per worker annually. If a company have 50 employees, this equates to approximately 400 to 750 productive days lost annually. This leads to increased costs to the employer and decreased morale among employees.
Absenteeism can’t be prevented but should be managed, and policies and procedures should be put in place to minimise the impact on your business.
The following tools can be used to minimise absenteeism.
1) Employment agreement. Working hours must be stated in the agreement. The consequences of not adhering to the set working hours and days must be highlighted in the agreement. Any additional requirements around absenteeism must be in the employment agreement. For example, a doctor’s note is required if an employee is absent on a Monday or Friday, after or before a public holiday.
2) Company should have a written attendance and sick leave policy in place. The policy should be communicated to the employees. Each staff member should have a signed copy of the attendance and sick leave policy in their staff files. The policy must answer the following question if an employee is absent. Who the employee needs to contact. Before what time the communication must be done. When a doctor’s certificate is required. The consequences of failure to adhere to the policy.
3) Company disciplinary code. The code must clearly state the offence and the consequences for the offender. All the different types of offences under the absenteeism category must be listed. Absconding, Absent, Timekeeping, and not informing the company of your absenteeism and/or no valid reason for the absenteeism.
4) Monitoring of all the employee’s attendance records. This is of utmost importance to monitor all attendance records and any absenteeism. Trends can be picked up like constant late coming or people being constantly absent on a Monday. Unsanctioned absences must be addressed immediately.
5) Record keeping of all communication with employees is very important. All communication and disciplinary action must be written. (Even verbal discussion and warnings must be recorded). Record of all disciplinary action and communication with the employee must be kept on the employee staff file.
It is of vital importance to do everything in the employer’s power to locate the employee if no communication is forthcoming from the employee on his absenteeism. WhatsApp or SMS messages must be sent daily if no communication from the staff member was received concerning his absenteeism. The following wording can be used. “Dear John, you failed to report for 22 March 2023. You did not inform management of your attended absenteeism and/or the reason why you are absent as per company policy. Please contact Mr Mahlangu on 012-0000000. Failure to comply with this could lead to disciplinary action”.
6) The employer needs to be familiar with the Basic Conditions of Employment Act 75 of 1997.
According to Section 22 of the Act, employers may require a doctor’s certificate if the employee takes more than two consecutive days of sick leave on more than two occasions during an eight-week period. If the employee fails to produce a doctor’s certificate for the above-mentioned scenarios, the employer is not required, as per Section 23, to pay the employee for the days absent.
Section 23 of the Act reads as follows:
1. In this Chapter, “sick leave cycle” means the period of 36 months of employment with the same employer immediately following—
(a) an employee’s commencement of employment; or
(b) the completion of that employee’s prior sick leave cycle
2. During every sick leave cycle, an employee is entitled to an amount of paid sick leave equal to the number of days the employee would normally work during a period of six weeks.
3. Despite subsection (2), during the first six months of employment, an employee is entitled to one day’s paid sick leave for every 26 days worked.
4. During an employee’s first sick leave cycle, an employer may reduce the employee’s entitlement to sick leave in terms of subsection (2) by the number of days of sick leave taken in terms of subsection (3).
7) Additional requirements and procedures can be added per company policy to combat absenteeism. This must be stipulated in the employment agreement and attendance and sick leave policy. This enables the employer to enforce the stipulation.
8) Attendance bonuses can be introduced to motivate staff to prevent unnecessary absenteeism.
9) The option of flexible hours can be investigated and, where possible, introduced to combat absenteeism. This affords the employee to attend to any private matters and creates a balance between the employee’s work and private life.
10) Encourage employee engagement and staff well-being. Create channels for staff to address personal and work-related issues. Always foster a culture of teamwork.
In conclusion, absenteeism should be managed and monitored. Records must be kept of all communication and disciplinary steps taken against absent employees. The impact absenteeism has on productivity and, ultimately, the bottom line is huge; absenteeism management can be the difference between your doors being close or staying open.