What is Absence Management?

In the workplace, unplanned employee absence is an unavoidable challenge. Employees may be absent for various reasons, such as illness, emergencies, or personal matters, but fortunately, the process of absence management aims to address this issue by implementing strategies to understand the causes of absenteeism and provide appropriate solutions. 

Managing employee absences effectively has become a key aspect of organisational success, with more and more businesses of all sizes across the globe choosing to address absenteeism with the help of absence management software.

What is absence management?

Absence management is the process that involves tracking and monitoring employee absences (including all types of absence, medical and non-medical), identifying patterns, and implementing measures to mitigate the impact of unscheduled absences. It involves implementing policies, procedures, and support mechanisms to minimise the negative impact of absences on workforce productivity, maintain employee wellbeing and support with return to work, as well as ensuring business continuity.

Did you know, in the CIPD Health and Wellbeing at work report released last year (2023), it found the average rate of employee absence now stands at 7.8 days per employee per year?

Why is absence management important?

Effective absence management can have a big part to play for organisations of all shapes and sizes for many reasons:

Maintaining high productivity 

Employee absences, whether due to illness, injury, or personal reasons, can disrupt workflow and have a negative impact on productivity. By managing absences proactively and efficiently, organisations can minimise disruptions and maintain optimal operational efficiency.

Employee wellbeing

Excessive absenteeism can be a sign of underlying issues such as stress, burnout, or dissatisfaction. Organisations that know how to address these issues through effective absence management can help improve overall employee wellbeing and morale.

Effective cost management

Absenteeism can result in a build up of significant costs for organisations, including lost productivity, overtime expenses, and the need for temporary replacements. By managing absences effectively, organisations can mitigate these costs and optimise their resource allocation.

Compliance with regulatory requirements

Compliance with legal and regulatory requirements related to absence management is essential for avoiding legal risks and maintaining organisational integrity. Effective absence management ensures that businesses are in line with relevant laws and regulations.

How software can help with absence management

Now we’ve covered what absence management is and why it is important for businesses, you may be wondering how to get started. Software solutions, like GoodShape, play a vital role in streamlining absence management processes and improving efficiency. 

What is absence management software?

Absence management software is a digital solution designed to streamline the tracking, monitoring, and management of employee absences from work. It automates the process of recording absences, generating reports, allowing organisations to maintain accurate records and analyse absence trends. 

By providing real-time insights and streamlining absence related administrative tasks, absence management software helps to optimise productivity, reduce operational costs, and ensures compliance with absence-related regulations. 

The benefits of using absence management software like GoodShape:

Access to real-time reporting

Absence management software solutions provide real-time visibility into absence data, allowing businesses to analyse trends, identify patterns, and make informed decisions to address absenteeism effectively and holistically.

Automated tracking

Absence management software gives organisations the option to automate the tracking and recording of employee absences efficiently and accurately, which reduces hours worth of manual administrative tasks.

Faster return to work for employees

GoodShape creates a simpler way for employees to report an absence from work via the app, and also enables them to engage with a clinical team for support and advice, helping them to return to work sooner.

Compliance management

Absence management software gives organisations the tools and guidance to stay compliant with relevant laws and regulations by automating compliance-related tasks and ensuring adherence to absence policies.

Employee access to professional medical support

Early intervention leads to faster referrals to medical professionals, quicker recovery and even lives saved. Absence management software like GoodShape offers access to professional medical support 24/7 via phone or app, providing trusted assistance and confidential advice.

Self-service for employees

GoodShape offers employees a quick and easy way to report sickness, access wellbeing advice and health services or review their absence statistics right from the app.

Integration with existing HR systems

Absence management solutions such as GoodShape integrate seamlessly with existing HR systems, allowing organisations to consolidate absence data with other employee information for a comprehensive, holistic workforce management approach.

Absenteeism can significantly impact productivity, but it's important to approach it with understanding and sensitivity, considering that legitimate reasons may contribute to unplanned absence. Organisations must establish well-defined procedures and execute them thoughtfully to ensure fairness and build trust amongst employees. 

GoodShape's professional absence management services can assist you and your business in achieving a thorough end-to-end approach to absence management - get in touch with us today or request a demo to find out more. 

Here’s what our clients have to say about us:

“The GoodShape partnership has enabled managers to focus their support on their colleagues, by reducing the time needed to manage the data.”
- Operations planning manager, London Stansted Airport.

“We would recommend GoodShape to other organisations who want to streamline processes and reduce absence.”
- HR business partner, Heathrow Express