The sun is out, the sky is blue, if your staff throw a sickie, what will you do?! The cost of sickness absence to UK plc is significant (over £13.2bn at the last count). How much does your business contribute to this figure? Is it higher than you’d like it to be?

Here are my 7 TIPS to assist you in effectively managing sickness absence – but of course, if there is only you in the business (so far) you won’t be needing this advice but as your business grows, even by +1, you will need to know how to manage absence:

1. Develop or review your Policy
A clear ‘user friendly’ policy and procedure – detailing how absence will be managed, as well as the mutual benefits of effective absence management will greatly support the return to work and an ‘attendance’ culture.

Have you got a policy for this? If so, when did you last review it?

2. Record and Measure it
Knowing who is off sick, and why, enables potential patterns to be identified, potential work-related causes to be investigated, planned contact with the employee to be arranged and, if appropriate, expert help to be engaged to support their effective return to work.

How effective is your system for measurement? Do you have access to reliable information on staff absence?

3. Stay in touch
Contact with the employee will show you miss them, and that you want to support their return. It also enables better planning, both of absence cover and support.

What does your policy say about ‘keeping in touch’? Or do you just wait for the employee’s GP to sign them back to work?

4. Remove any obstacles to a swift return to work
Adjustments may be necessary – sometimes physical changes to the workplace, other times, changes in the type of role or work pattern may be appropriate.

How satisfied are you with the speed and quality of the advice you get?

6. Agree and manage the return to work plan
It’s important you tailor the return to work to the individual, taking account of the need for any modifications, and reflects good communication to enable a successful, planned and timely return.

How easy do you make it for absent staff to return and become effective as quickly as possible?

7. Review the impact and effectiveness of your policy
It’s important to regularly review and improve your policy and procedure, in the light of changes in employment law, and best practice.

What scope for improvement do you have in managing absence?

What impact would say a 10% reduction in sickness absence have on your business, customer service, staff morale, and your finances?

What’s the cost of not acting costing your business?

If you have an HR related question for Greg Brown, please email him at experts@the-eba.com.