Research shows that absenteeism costs industries billions of dollars in lost productivity every year. Professional occupations suffer most, followed by managers, service workers, clerks and salespeople.
Sick leave, of course, can be caused by real sickness, and studies show that 90 percent of sick leaves are actually due to flu outbreaks, colds and similar or more serious problems. The problem arises when workers decide not to show up on the account of just not feeling like going to work.
Reasons for absenteeism are numerous and include depression, disengagement (lack of motivation), burnout, stress and low morale. While these are not usually considered good reasons for skipping a day in the office, they are more than real in today’s world.
Whether or not sick days result from a genuine need however, the fact remains that absenteeism has a major impact on the bottom line and businesses would be well advised to reduce staff absences as much as possible. The phenomena of sick workplaces may be reduced to two main issues:
- Workplace culture issues making employees reluctant to attend.
- Health and wellbeing of employees not being prioritised.
A Welcoming Workplace Culture
High rates of absenteeism are sometimes a signal that there’s something very wrong with the way employees are engaged. An analysis by research firm Gallup, for example, revealed that disengaged employees have rates of absenteeism that are 27 per cent higher than their peers. A happy workplace is a productive workplace.
Here’s some ways to create that happy workplace:
- Foster friendship at work. Encourage employee wellness and engagement activities to develop friendship and sense of community.
- Listen: this one isn’t as easy as it sounds. Genuinely listening to an employee’s ideas about their work or about any problems they may be experiencing will always be appreciated.
- Take a genuine interest in employees’ work-life balance: a well-balanced employee is a good employee. Where possible, some flexibility in schedules to allow for medical appointments or family commitments will go a long way.
- Give your workers the respect they deserve – Every normal human being knows this should go without saying. If you, as the employer, show people you respect them, they will almost always return the favor and respect you and your company.
- Take a genuine interest in the future path of an employee’s career: any helpful advice or mentoring you can provide will do wonders for an employee’s attitude
Health And Well-Being Of Your Workers
This is a topic we have covered before: simple measures such as ensuring optimum hygiene levels in the workplace and encouraging healthy lifestyles can make a world of difference.
Create a happy workplace everybody will love to come and work in by paying special attention to hygiene. With managed health and hygiene services provided by Alsco, the job of keeping your company clean and fresh rests in the hands of seasoned professionals.
With Alsco, your washroom will never run out of soap, hand sanitizers or paper towels, and your soap dispensers, sanitary bins and hand drying systems will always be in top condition.
If you would like to know more, contact Alsco right now!
Photo courtesy of Freepik Images by jcomp
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