Employee absences can hugely impact all businesses, but unfortunately, it’s an area that is often managed poorly. There are many reasons why employees may take a long-term absence, though mental health and stress are high contributors. Therefore, being able to offer support with these areas is essential. If staff are off work due to illness, stress or injury, managers often feel like there is little they can do to prevent this. However, this is not an issue that should be ignored, as increased absences can dramatically affect productivity across the whole company. Indeed, over time, absenteeism can be very costly. According to the CIPD, the overall median cost of absence per employee is currently £522. As employee absence will affect most companies at some point, all managers could benefit from being more informed about the subject. Employee absence management services can help to significantly reduce the amount of sick days or prolonged absences employees take, whichever industry they are in. Here are some more benefits of an employee absence management service:
Ability to work while recovering
A counselling or wellbeing service can help staff feel able to come into work while recovering, and ensure that they are thoroughly supported through any issues they are dealing with. One of our corporate clients who benefited from our absence management services found that 85% of service users remained in work for the full duration of their therapy. As well as this, 22% of those who did not feel up to working at the start of their treatment, returned at the end. This is extremely beneficial to the employee, as it means that their everyday life is not being restricted by their mental health. It will also mean that they do not miss out on important aspects in their workplace life.
Improved life satisfaction
Employees will feel valued and cared for if offered a wellbeing programme, including specific services such as a critical incident stress management service or services that focus on their mental health. Many users of these types of services reported that their life satisfaction improved by 20%. Having improved satisfaction in life will in turn improve their productivity and ability to approach tasks to their full potential, which is not only beneficial to them but the entire team.
Confidential Support
While staff may not feel comfortable talking about their feelings and issues that they are struggling with in an open environment with colleagues present, having a confidential environment may change this. Talking to a professional about anything that is causing them stress or unhappiness will make sure that they can deal with these problems in a safe environment with expert guidance. This will help them work towards recovery, so they can feel well and comfortable not just at work, but at home too. As you can see, employee absence management can be a highly beneficial addition to any workplace. Not only will it improve the quality of life for the employees who utilise the service, but it can lighten the workload for the rest of the team and increase productivity overall.
