Managing High and Persistent Employee Absence: A Guide for Small Businesses

Employee absence is an inevitable part of running a business. However, when absence levels rise significantly, they can create substantial challenges, including disrupted workflows, overburdened colleagues, and financial strain. For employers, the key lies in addressing absenteeism proactively while remaining compliant with UK employment law. In this blog, we explore practical strategies to manage high or recurring absence and create a supportive workplace culture that benefits both employees and organisations.

Understanding the Reasons Behind Absence

The first step in tackling absence is understanding the root causes. Absenteeism can stem from a variety of factors, such as physical illness, accidents, mental health struggles, personal challenges, burnout or simply dissatisfaction with the workplace. Identifying these patterns is critical for designing solutions that are both effective and compassionate.

Conducting return-to-work interviews is an excellent way to gather insights into why employees are absent. Complement this with anonymous employee surveys to uncover broader workplace concerns, such as stress or burnout. Often, data analysis reveals trends that may have previously been unnoticed - perhaps certain departments, roles, or times of year experience higher absenteeism. Once you understand the "why," you’re better equipped to address the issue strategically.

A Clear Absence Policy Is Essential

Every organisation needs a robust absence policy that sets clear expectations for both employees and managers. This policy should outline how employees report absences, when they need to provide documentation such as a self-certification form for absences of 7 days or less, or a fit note for absences exceeding seven days, and what support they can expect. It may also detail sick pay entitlements, including Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) and any enhanced provisions the organisation may offer.

Having clear "trigger points" for reviewing repeated or prolonged absences can help ensure consistency and fairness. Regularly updating your policy to reflect legislative changes, such as those under the Equality Act 2010, keeps your organisation compliant and demonstrates a commitment to supporting employees with long-term health conditions or disabilities.

Building a Culture of Support

Employees are more likely to return to work and remain engaged if they feel supported by their organisation. Open communication plays a vital role here. Managers should be trained to have empathetic conversations with employees, especially when discussing sensitive topics like mental health or personal issues.

Offering flexibility is another way to show support. For example, hybrid, flexible or part-time working arrangements can help employees balance their responsibilities and reduce stress. Additionally, providing access to resources such as Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) or workplace counselling services can make a significant difference in employee wellbeing.

Leveraging Data to Inform Action

Data is a powerful tool for tackling absenteeism. By tracking and analysing absence trends, employers can pinpoint problem areas and implement targeted interventions in a fair and consistent manner.

Perhaps absences spike during peak business periods, indicating potential workload issues. Or maybe one department consistently reports higher levels of sickness, suggesting deeper systemic problems. Understanding these trends allows employers to make informed decisions, whether that’s offering additional training, hiring extra support, or addressing morale issues.

The Importance of a Thoughtful Return-to-Work Process

A consistent return-to-work process helps employee transition back after an absence and can prevent recurring issues. This is especially important for those returning from long-term sickness or significant personal challenges.

During a return-to-work meeting, managers should discuss the employee’s health, provide updates on any changes that occurred during their absence, and explore whether any adjustments are needed following absence. For example, phased returns can be beneficial for employees recovering from illness, giving them time to regain full capacity.

You can use the return-to-work interview process following Dependents Leave or Carer’s Leave to provide further information that will broaden understanding of personal circumstances and be useful for capacity planning.

Staying Compliant with UK Law

Employers must also be mindful of their legal obligations when managing absences. Under the Equality Act 2010, employees with disabilities or long-term health conditions are entitled to request reasonable adjustments to enable them to carry out their role or amend their duties in light of their capability. Reasonable adjustments could include altered working hours, reduced workloads, amended duties, or specialised equipment. Failing to fully consider and provide these adjustments where they are reasonable can lead to discrimination claims, so it’s essential to approach these situations with care and expertise, taking advice to support your decision making.

Striking the Right Balance

Alongside supporting employees, organisations should also have clear measures in place to discourage unnecessary or unauthorised absences. Communicating the consequences of excessive absenteeism - while also demonstrating fairness - can help maintain balance in the workplace.

Ultimately, managing high or persistent absence requires a combination of empathy, structure, and proactive measures. By fostering a supportive work environment, analysing absence trends, implementing consistent processes, and maintaining compliance with UK law, employers can reduce absenteeism and build a more resilient, engaged workforce.

Is your organisation struggling with high or persistent absence? As a trusted HR consultancy, we’re here to help. Whether you need guidance on reviewing your absence policy, implementing support programmes, or managing complex cases, get in touch today to learn how we can support your business.

If you have any questions regarding HR or Health & Safety, get in touch via clientservices@robinsongracehr.com or ring us on 01793 311937.

Check out our other blogs in the series:

Supporting Small Businesses Through Change: A Practical Guide to Restructuring and Redundancy

How Presenteeism Affects Productivity and Mental Health

Transforming Your Out of Office Emails: A Guide for Employees

The content of our blogs is intended for general information and not to replace legal or other professional advice.