Absence management is an employer’s plan and set of policies that oversee and address employee absenteeism, either legitimate—as in, due to urgency, illness, or injury—or illegitimate.

Absenteeism occurs when employees consistently miss work, either due to reasons relating to sickness or injury, or possibly even lack of motivation and harassment in the workplace.

Absenteeism can be addressed with a robust absence management plan that improves employee morale, rewards employee attendance, and provides mental health assistance to workers struggling with issues in and out of the workplace.

Absenteeism often results in diminished productivity for your team, which can cost your organization real dollars and impact morale around the workplace. 

Employers can utilize absence management tools and practices to establish a proper attendance policy, which helps clarify what is appropriate and what is not in regards to employees missing days of work and arriving late to the office. In addition, generous PTO and vacation policies can help improve recruitment and retention for a team—essentially a win-win for everyone involved.

SHRM suggests the following strategies for managing employee absences: 

• Taking disciplinary action when an employee is excessively or consistently absent
• Verifying illnesses after a specified period of absence 
• Implementing PTO policies that allow employees to take scheduled time off
• Recognizing workers with stellar attendance records 
• Encouraging planned vacations for employees to rest and recover

When building an absence management program, consider utilizing the following strategies to assist employees and reduce absenteeism:

• Improve morale by implementing a more favorable work/life balance
• Implementing Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) to help with mental health
• Offering work-from-home options to improve productivity and morale

Related Terms: Employee Benefits, Wellness Program