Introduction

Absenteeism is the failure of an individual employee to report for their work assignment where or when they are scheduled to work. Employees who are not present due to recognized holidays, approved leaves of absence and vacations are not considered to be absent. Absenteeism can be a costly problem for any business, especially smaller businesses. Employers can use a positive atmosphere and a formal, yet clear and straightforward, attendance policy to ensure that attendance issues are addressed promptly and justly.

Our goal with this report is to identify attendance issues that may be causing, or have the potential to cause, adverse conditions and lack of communication within our agency, which can lead to low employee morale and loss of revenue.

Problem

Because our companies success relies heavily on its employees, it is imperative that employees attend work as scheduled.  Dependability, attendance, and punctuality are essential at all times. Therefore, employees are expected to report for work as scheduled, on all scheduled work days.

In the past 12 months, our agency has experienced a growth in the number of tardies and absences. Additionally, Management staff have reported that employees are frustrated with habitual absenteeism which is resulting in lowered company morale. When employees take unscheduled time off or do not arrive as scheduled, it means the employees who are present as planned have to work harder to fill the hole. It spreads discontent and can create a culture where absenteeism is normalized. Absences increase our overtime cost and result in unpredictable schedules for those present.  Ultimately, absenteeism leads to lower productivity across the board, which in turn puts, not only the company but all of our employees at risk.

After careful review of attendance records, employee counseling statements, manager interviews, and current policy review, our Management Team recognizes that attendance issues may be a direct reflection of our current attendance policy. Our current policy in written in technical language that may be difficult to understand and provides no clear steps to follow when violations occur. Nor does our current policy provide employees with easy to understand steps to assure they are following company guidelines when tardy or absent.

Regular attendance and punctuality are essential for the smooth operation of this business. Therefore, we must address this issue promptly by updating our current attendance policy and providing uniform guidelines that will offer a consistent, yet fair, approach to solving our attendance issues. In creating the new policy our Management Team must decide what type of attendance policy would be best suited for our company.

There are two basic types of attendance policies, traditional and "no-fault." Both types have negatives and positives. It is up to our Management Team to investigate both types of policies and determine which would be the most productive to our agency and the fairest to our employees. We must scrutinize the benefits and drawbacks of eachpolicy and make the most informed decision in our effort to provide a positive work environment while building a successful future for our organization and employees.

Overview of Alternatives

• Alternative A - Traditional Policy. Traditional Attendance policies distinguish between unexcused and excused absences. Unexcused absences can result in progressive discipline. With a Traditional policy, employees are provided with a set number of days that they can take off, sick days, as well as, a set number of vacation days. Employees who are absent from work after using all of their allotted sick days required to use vacation days under this system. Absences that take place after both sick and vacation days have been exhausted are subject to disciplinary action.

• Alternative B - No-Fault System. The no-fault system allows a stated number of absences - measured in either days or occurrences - yearly. The company and its supervisors do not require or inquire as to the reason. As with traditional absence policies, once the employee's days have been used up, he or she is subject to disciplinary actions for any further days absent.

Criteria

1. Compatibility with current procedures/policies - Which alternative results in the smoothest integration with existing policies/procedures. Lack of compatibility may lead tosignificant losses in both employee morale, and financial stability

1. Increase Employee Morale and Motivation - Which alternative has the potential to improve employee morale and motivation? An easy to navigate policy can offer comprehensible guidelines which allow employees the power of making decisions while knowing the consequences

1. Efficiency- Which alternative has the greatest potential of increasing employee and department efficiency?

1. Enforceability- Which alternative will be the easiest to enforce taking into consideration employee morale, as well as, monetary cost to the company?
2. Decrease Absences- Which alternative has been proven by other businesses to reduce absenteeism, as well as tardiness, and failure to work assigned schedules?

Methods

The first method of research to determine the best alternative will be based on employee involvement. Surveys will be provided to every employee asking their preference for attendance party. Secondly, policy research will be done on similar companies and systems to determine the best results as reported by other businesses. Third, we will have trainers and supervisors to review both types of policy to determine which they think would be the most acceptable to our employees and the easiest to train to full understanding, as well the easiest to track and enforce.

Evaluation of Alternatives

Compatibility

1. Alternative A -Traditional Policy

The traditional policy aligns with current company guidelines and expectations. Although there is currently not a 'set' attendance policy, employees have voluntarily followed Traditional Policy of using sick and vacation days when available and providing valid documented excuses for days absent in access of sick/vacation days. Minimal training and updates required implementing a traditional policy.

1. Alternative B - No-Fault System

The no-fault system would require minimal trainingfor employees to understand the number of days they can be out and what is or is not required of them. However, this alternative would require in-depth training of supervisory staff in assuring they are not asking for information they are not entitled to per policy. There could be a potential of employee rights violation if a supervisor is not thoroughly trained on the No-Fault system. Quarterly update training would be provided for all supervisory staff.

Employee Moral and Motivation

1. Alternative A - Traditional Policy

Initial and quarterly training for all employees to review attendance policy. Any changes in current practices will be orchestrated by department supervisors. All employees will be made aware of open door policy for any questions or concerns. Vacation and sick day increases at set periods will increase motivation and will be explained during initial new policytrainingas well as quarterly update training.Flexibleto handle last-minute requests.

1. Alternative B - Morale and Motivation

Initial and quarterly training for all employees to thoroughly explain No-Fault policy. Encouragement and steady communication from upper management to assure Supervisors are following policy as written. One-on-one meetings to go over new policy with supervisors. Identify awards to employees who do not use all of their assigned days available.

Efficiency

1. Alternative A -Efficiency

Supervisors will match requested time off with workload schedules and arrange coverage for busiest workload times. Absenteeism during heaviest workload schedules will require sufficient documentation to be approved by HR

1. Alternative B -Efficiency

Supervisors and HR will work together to monitor absences in an attempt to recognize patterns to plan schedules. No accountability for absence could lead to inefficiency during heaviest workload times.

Enforceability

1. Alternative A- Enforceability

Distribute clearly written attendance policy, which includes discipline steps for failure to follow policy, require employee signature for receiving and being advised of policy including disciplinary steps. Review each recent absence with theemployee during one on one attendance meeting to assure they understand excused and unexcused definitions. A verbalwarning should be given after thefirst incident, written warning after thesecond, termination process begun after thethird.

1. Alternative B - Enforceability

Distribute clearly written attendance policy, which includes discipline steps for failure to follow policy, require employee signature for receiving and being advised of policy, including disciplinary steps. Review number of days allowed without questions as to thereason for theabsence. Begin disciplinary process after last day allowed with no-fault policy. Supervisors should seek HR assistance to assure disciplinary policy can begindepending on thereason for theabsence.

Decrease Absences

1. Alternative A -Decrease in Absenteeism

Supervisors and Human Resources will consistently monitor the absentee rate and reasons for absenteeism. Employees that have attendance issues will receive individual counseling and be evaluated in conjunction with the traditional absentee policy.

1. Alternative B -Decrease in Absenteeism

Supervisors and Human Resources will consistently monitor the absentee rate. Attendance issues, beyond the given number of days, will be evaluated in conjunction with the No-Fault policy.

Findings and Analysis

Both of the outlined attendance policies will provide employees with adequate methods in being responsible for their attendance. Traditional and No-Fault policies both provide flexibility and assist in managing absenteeism and maintaining guidelines in attendance as scheduled.

Alternative A offers flexibility in the number of days an employee can be absent while requiring consistent proof that absence was necessary. This alternative allows employees to take time off if needed but requires them to be accountable for all time taken.

 Alternative B allows a set number of absences without justification but requires disciplinary measures to begin after a set number of absences are reached. This alternative allows employees the privacy of not having to explain why they were absent. However, it limits the use of extended absences and prevents supervisors from discussing absenteeism issues with employees until they have reached the disciplinary point.

Maintaining attendance standards within any business is a high priority. Positiveattendance practices help to ensure high quality and reliability throughout the organization.Both alternatives A and B are beneficial in increasing employee accountability for attendance and providing management with the tools necessary to address attendance issues.

The most significant findings that emerge from the evaluation of these two alternatives is that Alternative A is the best solution, of the two, in addressing the attendance issues at hand. Alternative A meets all the stated criteria and is the simplest and less financially hazardous to implement.