Your EAP Can Help With Absenteeism

btn download orangeEvery business knows the impact of absenteeism on its bottom line.

A recent survey on how absenteeism impacts employers1 shows that the total costs of paid time off, when considering both the direct and the indirect costs, is over 21% of payroll.

Direct Costs (wages, salaries, overtime, replacement workers)

15.4% of payroll

Indirect Costs (productivity loss due to replacement, co-worker productivity loss, supervisor productivity loss)

6.2% of payroll

 

eapcanhelpwithabsenteeismBusinesses take a variety of approaches in dealing with absent or tardy employees due to the real and hidden costs this has on their bottom line. It is a challenge often to address this because it is important for truly sick people to stay at home, but studies have found that most people don’t stay home because they are sick – 66% stay home for other reasons.2

Obviously, when employees face everyday life stresses, it impacts their ability to do their jobs. Employers don’t always know what the underlying issue is that is driving the employee’s absence or tardiness – it could be marital or family issues, addictions, financial problems, legal problems, or physical illness.

Your EAP is here to help employees with just these issues. EAP is a confidential, employer- sponsored source to obtain free assistance with these issues. EAP can help employees address problems early and resolve them more quickly.

The EAP has additional Work/Life resources to help employees and their family members with legal, financial, and caregiver issues, as well as counseling and coaching to help them balance their work and their life.

The EAP can also help managers recognize and identify personal problems before they have begun to impact overall performance. Managers can informally refer to the EAP at any time, coaching employees how to use the EAP. This keeps the manager out the middle of their problems, while encouraging them get help. When personal problems begin to impact work performance or attendance, and an informal referral hasn’t helped the person with their performance or attendance, a Supervisor Referral to the EAP can help them resolve their performance based issues. Employees who know they are valued and are given a free, confidential resource to address their personal problems usually feel appreciated by and are more loyal to their employer. Managers can call the EAP to consult about a Supervisor Referral.

Employee Assistance of the Pacific is ready to consult with managers on any performance issue in your employees, including absenteeism and tardiness. We also offer management training, crisis response services, and confidential assistance to employees and their families with personal and work related problems.

1Total Financial Impact of Employee Absences in the U.S., August 2014. SHRM and Kronos. https://www.shrm.org/about-shrm/press-room/press-releases/Documents/Kronos_US_Executive_Summary_Final.pdf

2CCH Unscheduled Absence Survey, 2007. http://www.cch.com/press/news/2007/20071010h.asp