How to manage absenteeism effectively and responsibly over the long term?

Absenteeism is a much debated issue that unfortunately tends to divide the public and private sectors. Absenteeism rates can vary widely depending on the data being collected or the population groups being analysed.

This is why it is important to continuously monitor absenteeism and identify factors where corrective action can be taken. Careful decision-making is vital since the health of employees is at stake.

Looking after employee wellbeing by ensuring favourable working conditions helps reduce the volume of absences. In Germany, the state of Brandenburg wants government departments to take up this torch. It has earmarked up to €50 per civil servant to fund a number of measures outlined in the federal psychosocial risk prevention plan.

Following a similar model and using financing from social impact bonds, Finland has undertaken a project to improve the quality of life in the workplace. Several local authorities in the south-western part of the country have had an awareness programme in place over the past five years. To date, the target decrease in the number of days of sick leave has been met, with each employee taking two less sick days on average.

Spain has opted to foster a spirit of competition between its civil servants on the work absence front. In agreement with professional organisations and since the elimination of a measure under which the first three days of sick leave were unpaid (a policy introduced in 2012 but that had no discernible impact on absenteeism), absentee data is published online (broken down by department and displayed in percentage and by reason).

Holding various tiers of management accountable has become Italy’s priority. During performance reviews, an abnormally high rate of absenteeism is regarded as a failure of management and negatively impacts the career trajectory of the manager in question. It is a decision the Italian government stands by, expressing its view that a few isolated cases of bad management should not reflect poorly on all civil servants.

The UK has made major headway in reducing the number of days of sick leave taken. In addition to rolling out several procedures involving regular and documented communication between managers and civil servants put on sick leave by their doctor, the UK government has implemented an attendance management policy which exerts pressure on the doctor if an employee’s sick leave lasts for more than eight working days or if more than four absences are accumulated over a 12-month period.

Making arrangements and preparing for an employee’s return to work is a key step that facilitates a smooth transition. In Belgium, civil servants who have been on sick leave for 30 days or more can participate in a reintegration programme (for a duration of up to three months) during which they progressively return to their normal workload after various periods of reduced activity.

To address the increase in sick leave related to stress or interpersonal relationships, Switzerland is offering its public employees the option of a social consultation process. Instead of involving their manager or doctor, the employee can opt for this process, which provides personalised support by coming up with workable solutions for making adjustments in the workplace.

In Canada, federal public service unions and the Canadian government brokered a deal on an Employee Wellness Support Program (EWSP). It provides improved support for employees with a long-term illness, thus helping to close the gaps in the current system, under which civil servants accrue sick leave based on seniority.

What if adapting work schedules to promote a better work-life balance were the answer? In a number of countries (1), local initiatives introducing a four-day work week have been put in place. Assessments of these initiatives reported lower rates of absenteeism, but to date the United Arab Emirates is the only country to have adopted this policy (as of December 2021) for all civil servants.

¹ Such as in Iceland (Reykjavik) and Sweden (Gothenburg). Additionally, the prime ministers of Ireland and New Zealand have expressed an interest in adopting it.