It’s unfortunately that time of the year when people get ill. But with reports that some employees are feigning illness and that many managers don’t know how to record absence, we offer some advice about how to handle it when staff take time off.
In the news, there are reports that staff are feeling demotivated by the gap in pay between them and those high up in the business. And there are concerns over the plight of small businesses affected by the recent floods.
Top news stories
Staff pay gap 'affecting motivation'
Just under 60% of those surveyed said they felt demotivated by the pay gap between the pay of chief executives and employees.
Extreme weather is threatening more and more firms
The Association of British Insurers has said that as many as four in five small firms affected by a problem like flooding ceased trading within 18 months.
Retail sales grew by 1.7% in November, according to the Office for National Statistics, largely boosted by the Black Friday sales.
Technology is the most important factor for business growth in 2016
According to research by Barclays Business, small businesses believe that the availability of better technology will be the most important contributor for business growth next year.
Plug-in car grant extended to 2018
The revised scheme will focus incentives on zero-emissions vehicles and no longer subsidise most expensive hybrids.
Key dates for your diary
21 December: Last posting date for Royal Mail 1st class
30 December: Deadline for online submission of Self Assessment tax returns for tax year ended 5 April 2015 for HMRC to collect tax through PAYE codes where they own less than £3,000.
Managing sickness in your business
How does your business manage sickness? Do you have a clear policy and the right tools to track absence? With recent reports that a third of businesses don’t record absences well, there is definitely room for improvement.
The winter is often the season of coughs and sneezes - “national sickie day” is the first Monday in February and the day when the highest number of people take time off work. Now is a great time to start looking at ways you could reduce sickness so you’re ready for the jump in absence.
Have a clear policy
The first step is to ensure you have an absence policy for your business. This should explain the procedure for reporting and recording sickness absence, so managers know how to keep a record and employees know what is expected of them if they are ill.
If your employee has been off work sick for more than seven consecutive days, they will normally need to get a Statement of Fitness to Work (fit note) from their GP or from the doctor that treated them in hospital. And if your employee is off for more than four weeks, you can make use of the Fit for Work scheme, which offers non-compulsory medical assessments and treatment plans to help employees get back to work.
Your policy can also include details about what happens if an employee is repeatedly off work and if their absence record doesn’t improve. This can include meetings to discuss the absence and address any underlying issues.
Get the right system
You should be tracking absences in your business, so you know who has taken sick leave and when. The right HR or payroll software will be able to provide you with valuable information so you can keep an eye on the sickness trends in your business and see:
- if individual employees always have the same days off sick
- any employee has repeated periods of absence that might need to trigger a review
- when are the key times of the year when you may be short-staffed due to illness.
This can help you to predict and plan for absence. As a nation, it’s been shown that we take more Tuesdays off sick than we do Fridays, and employees at medium sized companies are more likely to be off than those working in micro-businesses. Software can help you to see if you follow these trends and take steps to address these issues.
Know how to handle suspected false claims
Did you know that, in the last 12 months, 60% of employees have taken time off sick despite not being ill? It’s a scary fact - you can find out more in our infographic.
This serious problem costs the UK economy almost £30 billion a year. Here are some steps you can take if you think someone is abusing the absence policy:
- Do you have evidence? Social media can provide proof that someone is not ill, with 25% of employers saying they have seen posts that showed their employee was not sick.
- Meet with your employee when they get back for a return to work discussion. You can discuss their illness, which might help to establish whether the illness was genuine.
- Make sure you understand the law around unfair dismissal and follow your policy to the letter. Take advice if you suspect one of your employees falsely claimed to be ill - this can help protect yourself from future legal claims.
Look at addressing underlying issues
If you manage staff, try to look for any reasons that people might be taking time off sick.
- Are they under too much pressure or have too many conflicting deadlines?
- Is the work environment safe and conducive to good health?
- Do your team have good relationships and do they trust you?
- Do you offer an alternative if people need to take leave at short notice? Some businesses offer “duvet days” which can reduce the amount of absence.
Taking steps before people get ill can help to reduce the amount of sick leave that they take, helping to keep your company on track.
For more information
ACAS has additional advice on their website about how to manage sickness.