Avoiding Issues with Sick Leave Tyldesley

In the UK, the total cost of worker absence amounts to some £12 billion a year. Breaking that down, £495 a year is lost for every worker employed in the UK and the indirect costs are even higher.

One of the main causes of disciplinary action in the workplace is absence from work. Everyone gets ill and almost everyone has to take time off work at some point in their life, due to sickness.

In order to avoid potential issues with employees, it is better to create a trusting working environment before illness occurs. Be honest from the outset and create clear rules for your staff about taking time off for sickness. When they are sick, perhaps introduce a requirement that they contact you on a daily basis with an update on their illness.

Treat each case individually and be flexible, just because you have one or two problematic members of staff who often suspiciously take the day off ill, it doesn’t mean that another employee is; so be fair and consistent with all of your staff. Carrying out a ‘Return to Work’ interview will allow you to discuss with your employee the effect of their absence and agree what can be done to prevent a repeat in future, if at all possible. Perhaps consider training your managers on how to sensitively discuss these matters with your staff in an open, direct, but non-threatening way.

Giving your staff the opportunity to discuss, in private, any concerns they may have about their illness and ensure that they are made to feel able to discuss such matters. This will ultimately allow you to plan accordingly before any sick days are taken. If you are honest and fair with your staff, they should feel the same way about their employer.