5 Questions to Ask When Employees Take Prolonged Breaks

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May 20th, 2019

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Absenteeism is a problem all workplaces have to manage. However, attendance problems aren’t limited to employees abusing their sick leave or calling out without notice on a regular basis. Smaller problems, such as tardiness, skipping out early, or excessively long lunch breaks can erode productivity and staff morale.

Long lunches can be particularly hard to notice since they occur in the middle of the day. Many employees take their lunch break at their leisure and the time can shift from day to day depending on meetings, projects deadlines, and more. Companies that allow for flexible work hours may have an even harder time noticing the long lunch breaks since employees arrive and leave at various hours.

Even so, there are several steps employers can take to rectify the issue without revoking the flexibility the rest of the staff enjoys and doesn’t misuse. Before approaching the employee, managers should try to identify possible explanations before jumping to biased conclusions. The following questions can help provide insight:

  1. Has the employee recently taken on more challenging work?
  2. Has a major life change occurred for the employee such as a new child, marriage, or family member moving in with them?
  3. Are employees aware of who to talk to when they are overwhelmed or unsure of their responsibilities?
  4. Do your employees have the tools they need to complete their work?
  5. Does the company’s culture encourage open lines of communication?

Answering these questions can tell management a great deal before even speaking with the employee. It is quite possible the problem lies more with the company culture than the employee if the individual feels unable to ask questions or communicate with their boss.

3 Likely Reasons for Long Breaks

While every employee’s situation is unique, a few common scenarios most often account for why employees take long lunches or frequent breaks during the day.

  1. There is a health issue or family concern. If an employee opts to share this information, employers should approach the situation with understanding and compassion. There may be federally mandated leave options for the employee as well to help them address the issue effectively before returning to work.
  2. They don’t feel challenged. Simple boredom can result in an hour-long lunch stretching into an hour and a half. If employees find their work to be dull and uninspiring, they aren’t going to feel compelled to return to the workplace. If that’s the case, offering these employees professional development opportunities or discussing increasing their responsibilities can be a step in the right direction.
  3. They are overwhelmed. If the employee recently took on new projects or responsibilities, the long breaks may be a way for him or her to escape from the new stressors. Discuss the challenges with the employee to identify easy to remove roadblocks or develop better work habits to help the individual manage his or her workload more effectively.

Ignoring attendance problems never ends well. In fact, other employees will notice the lack of response and will either grow resentful or emulate the behavior themselves. Implementing a robust absence reporting program can help identify attendance issues before they become a major concern as well as reduce absenteeism. To learn more, contact the experts at Actec.

Absenteeism and Workplace Stress: Six Tips for Managers

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March 11th, 2019

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shutterstock_136833263 - Copy (5)Stress is dangerous, both to your employees and your company. For your employees, stress imposes high psychic costs – depression, fatigue, and social withdrawal – and is a major factor in heart attacks, hypertension and other disorders.
For your company, workplace stress imposes major costs in reduced productivity, sales and profits. It’s also a major factor in employee absenteeism. In fact, an employer survey by UK-based CIPD found workplace stress to be the biggest cause of long-term absenteeism.

The responsibility to deal effectively with stress is one of the most important and challenging aspects of every manager’s job. To reduce workplace stress and absenteeism, here are six tips for managers.

Prioritize and organize. Set the tone from the top by controlling the pace and volume of work. Though you can’t always control the pace of work, try to limit the duration of high-stress periods and let them know there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. Avoid unreasonable deadlines. Be sure that the assignments you give to your employees are suitable to their abilities and resources. Clearly define employees’ roles and your expectations for performance.

Communicate. Engage your employees in big decisions, especially those that affect their jobs. Find ways to show employees that you value their contributions and make clear there are opportunities for career development. Keep them informed on important company decisions and developments. Listen attentively, not only to the words but the emotions your employees are trying to communicate.

Support an entrepreneurial atmosphere. Empower your employees. Delegate. Encourage and reward creativity. Project energy and enthusiasm. Emphasize teamwork and collaborative problem solving – and celebrate your team’s successes.

Resolve conflict positively. Workplace conflicts can be a major source of employee stress. By being proactive and positive in resolving conflict, you can reduce tension and create an atmosphere of trust and cooperation.

Adopt flexible work arrangements. Rigidity in work schedules can be a major source of stress for employees who live hectic lives outside of the workplace, especially those who must tend to the needs of children or elderly parents. By recognizing employee needs with flexible work arrangements, you can engender greater loyalty and work satisfaction.

Practice effective ‘self-management’. Emotional intelligence is essential to bolstering self-confidence, defusing tension, and maintaining that all-important sense of humor in projecting a sense of calm and leadership. Stress can undermine your capacity to exercise emotional intelligence and sound judgment, so do all you can to increase your capacity for self-awareness and self-management. Be attentive to your physical and emotional health. Connect with others at work. Discuss problems with someone you trust. The better you feel, the more resilient you’ll be in the face of stressful situations.

Workplace stress is a greater factor in absenteeism than most employers realize. Many employers fail to track the extent of absenteeism or investigate its causes. Depending on size and operational scope, many organizations may benefit from finding an outsourced solution to help manage the process. For more information on our absence reporting and employee absenteeism services, contact us.

6 Attendance Management Mistakes Costing Companies Money

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February 4th, 2019

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Absenteeism, tardiness, long lunches, and leaving early are all attendance issues that affect a company’s bottom line. However, problems with attendance don’t always rest solely on employees. There are several mistakes management can make that confuse employees or muddy the waters in regards to what’s expected of them. The following are several common mistakes that perpetuate absenteeism:

  1. Missing or incomplete policy. Many employers outline vacation leave, sick leave, and federally protected absences in their company handbook. However, some neglect to discuss an actual attendance policy. Taking the time to do so can mitigate confusion regarding attendance. For example, employees who leave early every day because they neglect to take their lunch break can disrupt the workflow if other employees need to discuss a project with them.
  2. Poor enforcement. If management neglects to fully enforce an attendance policy, employees will abuse it. It can also hurt employee morale if one employee is late on a regular basis and management does nothing to address it. It can lead to accusations of favoritism or encourage other employees to do the same. Management needs to enforce all aspects of their attendance policy even if it means having uncomfortable conversations.
  3. Failing to distinguish between types of absences. Some absences are unavoidable. For example, employees fall ill or may need to care for family members. However, other absences are fraudulent and can speak to a larger issue. Employers need to take the time to learn the root cause of employee absences to stay ahead of any potential attendance issues.
  4. Not requiring doctor’s notes. Requiring a doctor’s note for absences can cut down on the number of false requests for time off due to illness. Some employers choose not to do so for short-term illnesses, but it’s worthwhile for long-term absences, especially if the absences could fall under federally protected leave such as family medical leave or disability.
  5. Not accommodating returning employees. When an employee returns to work after an extended illness or injury, employers should consider accommodations to ensure his or her success. These adjustments can prevent a relapse and make employees feel more secure about returning to work.
  6. Not keeping track of attendance. Even if employers have attendance policies, they can’t possibly know how effective they are without tracking absences. Implementing an absence reporting program can help management identify trends and address burgeoning issues before they become chronic problems.

If your company is struggling with absenteeism or attendance issues, Actec can help. Contact us to discuss our absence management solutions.

7 Easy Ways to Improve Employee Motivation

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December 24th, 2018

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Unmotivated employees are more likely to arrive late for work, leave early, or call out of work altogether. Employee absenteeism doesn’t just wreak havoc on morale; it also takes a large bite out of a company’s bottom line. Absenteeism can cost employers as much as $2500 a day in expenses so it behooves them to find creative ways to keep employees passionate about their work. The following are several suggestions employers can utilize to inspire more enthusiasm in their employees:

  1. Recognize a job well done. Employees need to know their employer appreciates their work. They won’t continue to go above and beyond if their boss never recognizes their effort.
  2. Create small, measurable goals. A project that stretches on for weeks with no end in sight can rapidly demoralize staff. Setting small goals allows staff to visualize their progress and keep them on track.
  3. Celebrate the small things. Applauding milestones helps with motivation as well. Recognition should be specific to the employee to highlight how his or her work directly affects the end goal.
  4. Take breaks at frequent intervals. Employees lose effectiveness the longer they force themselves to work on a tiring project. Sitting for hours on end isn’t healthy either. Taking a five-minute break every hour or so can help employees clear their heads and re-engage with the project.
  5. Explain the big picture. Employees working on small parts of a bigger project may not understand why their work matters. Showing them the big picture and explaining how their work helps achieve that can do wonders for their motivation.
  6. Afford employees more autonomy. Employers and managers often have an idea of how and when a project should progress. However, micromanaging can stifle creativity and lead to resentment. Giving employees more say over their work can improve the final results and their outlook.
  7. Embrace nature. Natural light is vital to keep employees in a good mood. If the office lacks this feature, it may be worth the effort to hold a team meeting outdoors if the weather allows for it. Having a walking meeting can boost creativity as the change of environment allows for new perspectives and fresh ideas.

Improving motivation in the workplace doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming. Implementing some or all of the above ideas can help boost productivity, improve workplace morale, and have a noticeable effect on employee attendance. To learn more about reducing absenteeism, contact the experts at Actec.

How Poor Employee Attendance Affects Your Bottom Line

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December 17th, 2018

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Employee absences have a far-reaching effect on businesses. Routine absences cost companies money due to a decrease in productivity from the missing employee. An employee who is absent on a regular basis affects other worker’s productivity as well since the remaining staff will have to take on the absent employee’s work to meet deadlines. Spread loading work in this manner can also affect morale. Staff members who have to work late will swiftly come to resent the absent employee and likely experience a dip in motivation. It is vital for employers to understand how absenteeism affects the workplace so they can draft and implement effective attendance policies.

Employee and Company Growth

Most businesses hire an individual with the intention to draw on their expertise as well as help them grow in their skills. This benefits the employee as well as the company as it ensures mutual growth. An employee must be present in order to achieve sufficient professional development. Otherwise, it will be almost impossible for an employee to learn new skills. In fact, an employee may experience a regression in their skill set from a disruptive work schedule.

Continuity and Job Performance

An employee with poor attendance affects workflow and continuity for larger projects. A project either comes to a halt or slows down when an employee is not present to do their share of the work. Existing staff members or temporary hires must step in to fill the gap. This is less than ideal because other employees have their own work to perform and temporary workers take time to train.

Employees who rack up several absences without discernible consequences can affect the job performance of other staff members. The cause for this is twofold. Some employees may feel slighted for their efforts. They come to work on time and do their job while the absent employee receives the same benefits without the work. Other employees may see that management is not cracking down on absences. This can cause employees with good attendance to start taking advantage of a weak absenteeism policy.

Conflict Amongst Staff

The staff members left to take on the absent employee’s workload will become resentful over time. This can result in passive aggressive behavior or overt conflicts in the workplace. This can further disrupt productivity, as the employees will not work well together. It also creates a toxic atmosphere that can affect employees not otherwise involved in the conflict. If left unchecked, employers can experience high turnover rates.

Understanding how chronic absenteeism affects your company’s finances and workplace morale is key to implementing effective absence management solutions. Actec can help your business put an absence reporting program into place to track the frequency and cost of absences, increase productivity by reducing absenteeism, and more. To learn more, contact us today.

6 Rules to Follow to Prevent Office-Wide Flu

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December 10th, 2018

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Flu season is in full force and people who work in close quarters are at a much higher risk of contracting the disease. The flu can spread in a six-foot radius from a person carrying it. Coughing, sneezing, and talking can spread germs through the air and onto nearby objects. Touching a contaminated surface can spread the contagion if the individuals then touch their mouth, eyes, or nose. Employees who work in a cubical setting or interact with each other closely need to take precautions to avoid getting sick.

  1. Wash your hands often. This may seem obvious, but many people only give their hands a cursory scrub. Individuals that work in an office setting need to wash their hands often with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds to reduce the risk of spreading germs. They should also make sure to use a new clean towel every time. Reusing hand towels is a fast way to spread germs.
  2. Disinfect common area surfaces. People touch certain objects on a daily basis without giving it much thought. For example, wiping down a counter with disinfectant doesn’t do much good if everyone has to use a germ-laden door handle to enter or leave. Cleaning and disinfecting germ hot spots can help prevent an office-wide outbreak of the flu.
  3. Wash coffee cups with hot water and soap. Many employees bring personal coffee mugs to the office, especially if there is a Keurig or coffee station in the workplace. However, many of them only give their mugs a cursory rinse when they’re finished drinking. Their logic is that they are the only person drinking from the mug, but germs can travel through the air and collect in the cup, making them ripe for transmitting diseases.
  4. Reduce social interactions where possible. Shaking hands with coworkers may be polite, but it’s also a quick way to spread germ. Employees should try to limit physical interaction and casual conversation during an active flu season. This can reduce the spread of germs and the likelihood of getting sick.
  5. Don’t wait for the disease to strike. Trying to stem the tide of a flu epidemic after it starts will yield poor results. Infected people are contagious a full 24 hours before symptoms begin and they remain contagious for up to 5-7 days after they initially become ill. Infected individuals can spread germs well before they are symptomatic so it behooves employees to take anti-flu measures before anyone becomes sick.
  6. Communicate clear expectations regarding sick time – employees should know that it is not only acceptable to stay home when contagious, it is imperative. If a sick employee returns to work before they’re better they run the risk of relapsing and getting other employees sick as well.

The flu season doesn’t have to mean rampant employee absences if workplaces put the proper precautions in place. To learn more about managing employee absences, contact the experts at Actec.

Encourage and Improve Employee Attendance

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September 3rd, 2018

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shutterstock_252811903 - CopyEvery business needs their employees to come to work on time; however, customer-centric jobs tend to suffer the most in the short term. While missing employees will affect productivity for all companies down the line, businesses that work face-to-face with customers on a daily basis feel the pinch right away. When employees start arriving late, leaving early, or not arriving at all, employers will have a variety of staff-wide problems on their hands. Poor attendance torpedoes morale, forces other employees to work overtime, reduces engagement, and hinders productivity.

5 Ways to Foster Better Attendance

Customer support jobs aren’t the only professions that feel immediate effects due to absenteeism. Teachers, healthcare providers, and technical support jobs all have workstations that are painfully obvious when vacant. Companies that rely on collaboration between departments also experience the effects when a major project can’t move forward. Regardless of work environment, all businesses need to keep absences under control. Several ways to achieve this include:

  1. Create and implement rules in a uniform manner. Every employee, regardless of position, needs to receive a copy of the company handbook with clear details about leave policies during orientation. When employees know paid time off (PTO), sick leave, and vacation leave are the same for everyone, it has a positive effect on their sense of fairness. Whether an employee works in the warehouse, the front office, or the executive suite, attendance policies should apply across the board.
  2. Manage absences by underscoring employee importance. Some absences are legitimate—employees fall ill, experience injuries, and any number of protected kinds of absences can occur. However, unscheduled absences stress out the rest of the staff, which can lead to more absences over time. When an employee calls out, their supervisor should have a conversation with that employee letting them know the staff and managers will miss them and they hope for a rapid and full recovery. When the employee returns, their supervisor should welcome them back in person and underscore the employee’s importance. When employees feel like an essential part of the team, they are less likely to call out for dubious reasons.
  3. Be flexible whenever possible. Flextime and working from home have gained in popularity for good reason. Parents dropping off children at school or picking them up from childcare can’t always work a traditional 9-5. For example, allowing them to shift their day to work 7-3 can allow their spouses or partners to drop children off at school while they pick them up afterward. This cuts down on the need for childcare and reduces stress over finances. While an employee’s personal life isn’t the supervisor’s job to manage, their personal stress can affect their attendance and performance.
  4. Reward employees for good attendance. Some employers balk at the idea of paying their employees extra for showing up on time to do their job. However, all employees like to feel appreciated. Recognizing stellar attendance make employees feel valued and thereby improves their loyalty. Reward programs can be as simple as free movie tickets or as grand as earning an extra vacation day for every month of perfect attendance.

Too many attendance policies are consequence-driven. While there need to be penalties for absenteeism, focusing on the positive is much more likely to yield the attendance results an employer wants. If your company is struggling with absenteeism, Actec can help. Contact us to learn more about how our absence reporting program can improve attendance.

How to Curb Summertime Blues and Improve Attendance

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July 18th, 2018

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shutterstock_252811903 - CopySunny days can entice employees to fake a sick day. There isn’t anything unusual about waking up on a beautiful day and wishing to spend it lounging by the ocean than in an office. However, more and more people are giving into this impulse and calling out of work. This is a challenge for employers as it‘s difficult to determine who is ill and who is spending the day at the beach.
Economic authorities refer to the moment when employees decide to call out of work to enjoy a sunny day the bliss point. One expert found the exact statistics to trigger the bliss point are:

  • 81 degrees Fahrenheit including humidity (27.2 degrees Celsius)
  • Clear skies
  • A gentle breeze (9 mph or 14.7 km/h)

Most workplaces blame stress for why workers misuse their sick leave, but it’s worth looking at the weather as a possible motivator.

How to Reduce Weather-Induced Absences

Compounding the problem, the employees most likely to call out of work to enjoy the weather are the ones who can least afford it. For example, new employees or at-will employees are on tentative grounds as their employers can fire them with relative ease. While remaining gainfully employed should be reason enough, employers plagued by absenteeism may need to provide another incentive.
Offering flexible hours, such as arriving earlier in the day to be able to leave earlier and still enjoy the weather may be enough to tip the scales. Employers could also consider allowing employees to work an extra hour Monday-Thursday so they can take off half a day on Fridays.
Businesses also need to consider the work environment they provide for their staff. If the building is lacking sufficient natural light, stuffy, or otherwise uncomfortable during the summer months, employees will actively want to avoid it. Providing simple but fun summer activities can help as well such as offering popsicles in the break room. Getting employees outside can reduce the impulse to call out of work as well. Companies can achieve this by encouraging employees to go for a walk during their lunch, eat outdoors, or hold walking meetings.
If your business is struggling with summertime absenteeism, Actec can help. Our absence reporting system can help employers reduce the frequency and duration of absences as well as improve employee productivity. Contact us to learn more.

Using Historical Absence Management Information Effectively

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April 24th, 2018

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On any given day as much as 10% of your workforce may be absent. Chances are, you have the historical data available to leverage your company’s productivity. Much of that data, however may be stored and tracked in different areas in order to adhere to reporting and compliance regulations. Without a method of consolidating this data, your company can’t turn this information into an effective absence management strategy.
Many companies have FMLA spreadsheets, methods of hourly time tracking, and vacation databases. This data can help you to find current gaps in your absence management plan and create actionable information that will make your company more productive. Finding a method to consolidate historical data will help you to:

  • Understand the leading types of absencesshutterstock_251707783 sm
  • Average duration of each absence type
  • Determine if there are specific site or division challenges
  • Create projections for occupational classes/employee segments for business units
  • Know when employees have exhausted their leave entitlement
  • Approve, deny or close employee benefit claims
  • Know your company’s ROI for specific absence management procedure enhancements

Reporting and compliance complexities often hinder a company’s efforts to create an effective absence management strategy. While some absence information may need to be tracked separately as a part of compliance, the company can still leverage this historical data in order to determine future trends.
Data management is an essential part of effective absence management. It will also help you determine what absence management tools your company needs to make your organization more productive. There are many Human Resource Information System, Disability and Workers Compensation vendors that can help your company consolidate your historical absence data so that you can turn it into actionable information.
Contact the experts at Actec to learn more about our proprietary software that will help you in your goal to create an effective absence management solution.

Five Critical Advantages to Enhanced Employee Attendance Tracking

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April 10th, 2018

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shutterstock_174966584 smMost employers realize the value of employee attendance tracking systems. However, not all tracking systems provide the same services or features. When employers and employees work together to make the most of the attendance system, both parties can reap significant benefits. The following points highlight how such a system provides benefits for all:

  1. Business leaders can identify attendance issues before they get out of hand. Attendance trackers do more than keep records of when employees request time off work. They can also show when employees arrive, when they take breaks, and when they leave for the day. It can show if certain employees are abusing the system by arriving a bit late, taking long lunches, or leaving earlier than they should. While a few minutes here and there is not a big issue, it adds up and can affect productivity as well as morale if it continues unchecked.
  2. Attendance trackers expedite payroll processes. Employees expect their employers to pay them in full and on time. Attendance trackers can help speed up this process, as HR does not have to hunt down information about attendance (either absences or overtime). The system collects and stores all of the relevant payroll data in one place.
  3. Improves employee morale. While employees may show chagrin regarding a new attendance tracking system, their opinion will likely do a 180 when HR responds promptly to their time off requests. While employees often plan vacations well in advance and can wait for approval without issue, not all requests have such a long shelf life. For example, if an employee’s child becomes ill, he or she will want a rapid response to their request. The system can improve workplace morale in another crucial way as well. Employees who are always late or leave early tank the morale of their coworkers who arrive on time and complete a full workday. It creates a sense of unfairness and can delay projects. The system can identify employees with attendance issues and allow managers to correct them.
  4. Employers can embrace telecommuting without fear. While today’s workforce desires flexible schedules and the ability to work from home, many employers worry that employees will not give their full focus to their job if they are not in the office. However, many attendance trackers come with or have the ability to add on a remote clocking feature. This provides accountability while allowing employees to work from home.
  5. Employee tracking systems reduce absenteeism. We touched on this point somewhat above, but addressing attendance issues such as arriving late or leaving early is different from full-blown absenteeism. Calling out of work for legitimate issues is normal, but when an employee begins to call out for unnecessary reasons, it becomes a problem. Without an attendance tracking system, it can be hard for employers to keep track of when employees called out and why. This can lead to overlooked absences or illegal disciplinary measures, such as if an employee called out for federally protected reasons (i.e. ADA, FMLA, etc.). However, with an attendance tracking system in place, employers can see which absences are reasonable and which they will need to address.

If your business is struggling with attendance problems or absenteeism, Actec can help. Our absence reporting system can help employers implement consistent leave administration and reduce absenteeism all while complying with federal and state laws regarding employee leave. To learn more, contact us today.