Programs and policies that address excess absenteeism, or that identify its presence, are useful and even necessary. However, as long as they focus on the absenteeism itself – by rewarding timeliness, say, or punishing violators – they will never be entirely successful.
The only way to remove this problem as a thorn in the side of your company is to identify its source. That sounds straightforward enough, but the difficulty comes from the fact that it likely is not to be found where you are looking for it.
Many people seek the cause of this problem in the nature of their employees (the discussion of generation this or generation that at work is an example of this), or the problems they confront getting to, or even dealing with the fact of, work. Addressing the latter category is an effective way to increase productivity and, certainly, reduce absenteeism.
But you should be prepared to find that the core cause of your absenteeism problem lies in your employees’ poor morale, and that the core source of that is to be found in your own procedures, policies, and general management style – not in the general personal shortcomings of your employees.
Make sure your policies, procedures, and regulations facilitate the work of your employees, and don’t inadvertently harass or hinder them. Make sure you get feedback from and provide feedback to your employees – and that you meaningfully incorporate it into your managerial deliberations and, if appropriate, your decisions.
People need and take deep meaning in and pleasure from their work. Give them genuine reason to find that important element of self-fulfillment in their work with you. You will soon find that it is your absenteeism problem that is missing – not your employees.
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A tip for today: please take a moment to view this energetic argument against superstar bosses, found during a recent visit to Execupundit.com.
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