Practical approaches to managing attendance

Overview

At an average of £601 per employee per year (according to the CIPD’s latest survey), absenteeism costs British business billions of pounds each year – and can be one of the most difficult issues to manage effectively. This workshop equips managers with the skills and legal knowledge needed to reduce lost time and the costs associated with absence.

Training objectives

This course will help participants:

• Appreciate the importance of controlling absenteeism
• Understand their role in managing attendance
• Understand the range of possible causes of absenteeism
• Conduct effective return to work interviews in a range of circumstances
• Follow a fair and reasonable procedure when managing both long- and short-term absence within the framework of UK employment law
• Manage sensitive health issues within the workplace

Audience

This programme will benefit all managers and also supervisors who have people reporting to them. The skills involved are equally applicable to junior, middle and senior level managers.

HR advisors can also benefit significantly from attending this course.

Format

Participants in this highly practical one-day workshop are encouraged to take a pro-active approach, in small team discussions, case studies and practical exercises. This helps to ensure a pooling of ideas, knowledge and experience in applying the skills back at work.

The dynamic nature of this course requires that the number of participants be limited to no more than 12 if maximum benefit is to be had from the day.

Special features

Your organisation’s policies and procedures can be reflected in this workshop, to ensure that participants are continually relating the learning to your in-house processes.

The expert trainer

Alison is an independent HR and management development consultant, specialising in employment law, leadership development and organisational development. Formerly European HR Manager for Kodak, she has also worked within the finance, retail, hospitality, IT and manufacturing sectors. With a highly interactive and dynamic training style, Alison is unerringly focused on the practical aspects of helping people solve problems and achieve objectives. Her enthusiastic and professional approach has won her many clients, including Avis, BP, Daimler Chrysler, Deutsche Bank, Ecotec, Elite Hotels, HSBC, Homebase, Microwarehouse, Procter & Gamble and Standard Bank.

Course outline

1. The legal background
   • A short employment law refresher quiz
2. Disability discrimination
   • Overview of the Act
   • Definition of a ‘disability’
   • Reasonable adjustments
   • Case study
3. Managing absence
   • The need to manage absence
   • The cost of absence
   • Patterns of absence
   • Managing absence as a breach of contract
   • Poor performance associated with absence
   • Managing ‘malingerers’
   • Video-based exercise
4. Managing long-term absence
   • Capability and long-term absence
   • Maintaining the relationship during absence
   • Providing support
   • Case study review
   • Case law
5. Absence control procedures
   • The return to work interview
   • Monitoring
   • Stages
   • Penalties
   • Essential paperwork
   • Doctors’ certificates
   • When informal action fails
6. Managing sensitive health issues
   • Mental ill-health – including stress at work
   • HIV and Aids
   • Alcohol and substance abuse
   • Pregnancy
   • Case study review
7. Conclusion
   • Course review / discussion
   • Close