| Employers pay a high price for absenteeism, often | | | | absenteeism is accepted as a normal practice, the |
| more than they may realize, in terms of both financial | | | | organization's culture may have to be changed before |
| and production losses and employee morale. | | | | attendance can be improved. |
| Managers may view the tasks of finding a substitute | | | | * Excessive rates of sick leave: As some insurance |
| employee as a short-term inconvenience; however, | | | | companies are now doing, employers need to monitor |
| absenteeism frequently has more serious long-term | | | | sick leave rates and reward employees who use |
| effects. Employers can, nevertheless, ensure that | | | | fewer sick leaves. |
| employees report in regularly and remain on the job. | | | | Once you know the cause of absenteeism in your |
| Before employers can determine the best way to | | | | organization, it will become easy for you to correct, or |
| combat absenteeism, they must identify the | | | | minimize, the problem. But you have got to do your |
| organizational and individual factors that contribute to | | | | homework. |
| the problem. Among the most common potential | | | | Remember: When you maximize your potential, |
| problem areas employers need to explore are the | | | | everyone wins. When you don't, we all lose. |
| following: | | | | © Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW |
| * Job satisfaction: Employees who like their job are | | | | PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be |
| more likely to come to work than those who find work | | | | republished in ezines, newsletters, and on web sites |
| unstimulating. | | | | provided attribution is provided to the author, and it |
| * Work attitude: Some employees come to work no | | | | appears with the included copyright, resource box and |
| matter how sick they feel, while others call in sick no | | | | live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is |
| matter how well they feel. | | | | appreciated but not required. |
| * Company culture: If management's attitude is lax and | | | | |