It's no secret that employee attendance issues lead to astronomical costs for employers. In fact, the manufacturing and production industry alone loses $2.8 billion annually in lost productivity due to absenteeism, according to Investopedia.
Unscheduled absenteeism for hourly workers costs an average of $3,600 per year for each worker. These costs are attributed to 3 primary factors:
- Boosted morale
- Identification of skills gaps
- Better communication
- Goal alignment
- Retention
So what can you do to improve attendance at your facility? Here are a few tips from our decades of staffing experience.
Communication & flexibility
It may seem like a no-brainer that one way to improve attendance issues is to communicate expectations, but there's an important aspect that is overlooked. That is the clarity of the information you provide employees about attendance expectations.
Clear policies
Communicate the attendance policies clearly during the onboarding and orientation process, including enforcement policies.
Consistent enforcement
Have an enforcement policy for managers or supervisors to ensure attendance issues are addressed uniformly. This not only ensures employees are treated fairly, it builds trust for employees to know that they aren't being more fiercely punished based on who's on duty that day.
Be flexible
Things happen – someone gets sick, their car breaks down, their child needs to be picked up from school, or one of an infinite number of other little things that could cause someone to be late or miss work.
When creating your attendance policies, include a discussion with supervisors or managers on what flexibility might look like at your facility, and how to best approach those situations. Maybe that means a three-strike system, or implementing a time-off policy.
Identify causes
The first step to solving any problem is to identify what the problem is. There are a few ways you can determine what's driving your attendance issues.
Analyze turnover data
The same things that drive turnover often drive absenteeism – ask your staffing agency for turnover data.
They might be able to provide further insight into attendance issues, which can in turn influence turnover.
For instance, at KP Staffing, we have analytics on the reasons for employee attrition, along with notes that detail the particular reasons surrounding our candidates' attendance issues. A pattern in reasons employees provide for leaving, such as shift time, supervisor treatment, or safety concerns, are all reasons employees give that impact attendance.
If your staffing agency doesn't provide these analytics, generate your own through exit interviews or supervisor input.
- Issues with childcare or family care
- Illness
- Burnout or low morale
These are all things that could lead to attendance issues for even your best employees. Having an open dialogue with your team, and your staffing agency, about what issues they're facing, and then troubleshooting solutions, could be the answer.
Your staffing agency should be tracking absence reasons as their employees call in; ask them for this data to drill down into potential patterns. You might find that there is something within your control to alleviate common issues.
Maybe that means switching an employee's shift, including more employee engagement activities, or tackling an employee concern that's driving burnout.
Incentives improve attendance not only because an individual is striving toward a goal, but because it also encourages investment in their team as they work toward an award or recognition.
Some examples of incentive programs we've helped our partners implement to alleviate attendance issues:
- Attendance bonuses: Offer financial rewards for consistent attendance.
- Recognition programs: Publicly recognize and reward employees for excellent attendance.
- Attendance giveaways: Periodically enter all employees with outstanding attendance into a raffle or drawing for a fun prize, such as a TV or gift card.
Initiatives like these increase attendance, while also providing a boost to morale while they're at it. We've seen these programs boost morale at many of our partners' facilities, both by providing employees with valued recognition and building camaraderie in the team.
Incentives can do more than just help with attendance – it can also help you attract top talent. 42% of employees consider rewards and recognition program opportunities when seeking employment, according to the Blackhawk Network. Incentives help retain the great talent you have and bring in great employees.
Work with your staffing agency
We already mentioned that some staffing agencies might be able to provide analytics that will give you insights into the causes of attendance issues. Staffing agencies could also alleviate attendance issues by partnering with you on employee engagement and recognition programs.
At the end of the day, your primary goal is ensuring your facility is running properly and you're meeting goals. Partnering with a staffing agency can allow you to focus more on your business activities while they assist with employee performance strategy.
KP Staffing specializes in light industrial and skilled trade staffing. We source employees for a variety of positions across skill levels for distribution and manufacturing facilities across the Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston areas.
You can learn more about us here!