SHORT TERM SICKNESS ABSENCE!

Short term sickness for some managers can be like an endless uphill challenge. Although, before you go deciding that you a have problem across the team, consider whether it is just one or two members of staff who are skewing the absence figures and making problem appear bigger than it reality is.

WHY IS SHORT TERM SICKNESS SO HARD TO MANAGE:

Typical issues that make short term absence so hard to manage include:

• An inadequate (or non- existent) company policy on absence.

• No proper absence figures kept, therefore a manager doesn't have the information to do the job.

• No targets set by company for what acceptable level of absence are, resulting in managers not knowing how high/low to set the targets for the team.

• Manager feels their hands are tied i.e. senior managers interfering in decisions, HR not allowing essential day to day management of staff.

• Managers fear the confrontation that result from managing absence.

• Managers doesn't know when their rights are in respect of conducting return to work interviews, probing about personal issues etc.

• Managers themselves might not be setting the right example in this area, so how can they manage others.

• Manager doesn't know where to begin.