Have the difficult conversations
Once you've started benchmarking data, and collecting it over weeks and months, you'll inevitably face the time when you need to confront a staff member about their absence.
You mustn't shy away from having these difficult conversations with staff and addressing poor attendance is part of that. You can’t let poor attendance go unmanaged, for the employees sake as well as the business.
Very often, the employers intervention in attendance matters and subsequent enquiries can alert the staff member to health matters that had previously been ignored or unknown. Additionally, if left unmanaged the poor attendance of a colleague can also lead to poor morale amongst the rest of your workforce who are continually picking up the slack.
We understand that it can be hard for small owner-managed businesses, with a small number of staff to whom they have developed close and more friendly relationships, to have the difficult conversations, but it’s a must.
If you feel uncomfortable taking this step, or want advice in how to handle a meeting or need to handle a sensitive issue with care, get in touch and we’ll help. We’re happy to act as your in-house HR department.
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Please note our blog posts contain general information and are intended as guidance only and should not be taken as an authoritative or current interpretation of the law. Please ensure that you obtain advice tailored to your individual situation before taking action. These posts apply to the UK only.