This document outlines how to manage frequent absenteeism in an organization. It defines absenteeism and discusses its common causes such as job dissatisfaction and personal problems. Excessive absenteeism costs organizations money and hurts customer satisfaction. The document recommends eliminating job dissatisfaction, setting attendance expectations, and counseling employees. The counseling process involves appreciating the employee, explaining the problem objectively, allowing them to respond, and finding a solution without appearing defensive.

1. NURSING ADMINISTRATION COURSE
Managing Frequent
Absenteeism in organisation.
By
Sr. M T Ronchi

2. Learning Objectives.
• Define Absenteeism
• Outline the effects of excessive
absenteeism
• Outline the most common causes of
excessive absenteeism.
• Describe how you would counsel an
employee / staff with excessive tendencies
of absenteeism.

3. What is Absenteeism?
• Absenteeism may be internal or external
• External absenteeism can either be failure
to show up for work, arriving late or
departing early.
• Internal absenteeism may be inform of
extended coffee / tea breaks or meals,
absence from work area, socializing and
day dreaming.

4. Causes of Absenteeism.
• The two most common causes of
absenteeism are job dissatisfaction and
lack of motivation.
• Others can be: personal problems /
domestic problems, alcoholism, lack of
accommodation within the work areas,
failure to provide tea / coffee at work
places, presence of paid sick leave, etc.

5. Effects of absenteeism?
• Absenteeism costs an organisation a lot of
money as it has to find someone to cover
the gap or lose out.
• Causes customers’ dissatisfaction as they
find no one to serve them, take long
waiting for service from overwhelmed staff,
etc.
• Leads to poor quality services delivery
• Damages organization's reputation

6. Managing excessive absenteeism
• Although supervisors have little control
over sick leave policy, they can put some
measures to minimise sick leave abuse.
Reassure and emphasis that all sick staff
be seen by one senior medical officer or
his / her delegatee.
• Eliminate causes of job dissatisfaction

7. Cont.
• Set a good example ( be a role model)
• Keep good attendance record
• Look for patterns of absenteeism e.g.
Monday (due to weekend hangover or
dodging a busy day); Friday (to start early
weekend) or during pay days. Try to
workout how you can go about it

8. Counselling a staff with excessive
absenteeism
If the absenteeism becomes excessive
despite prior warning, counsel the staff
following steps below.
Step 1:
• With the affected staff plan for a
counselling session at a conducive
environment. Set a conducive
environment for counselling by: welcoming
a staff with a smile, offer a seat and greet.

9. Cont,
• Thank her/him for coming to the session
• Start by appreciating what your staff has
been doing then inform her / him that you
have a problem in which you need her /
his assistance to solve.
Step 2:
• Find out whether she/ he is aware of the
problem. If not, describe the situation at
hand and avoid being judgemental.

10. Cont
Step 3:
• Explain how this problem of absenteeism
has affected your department and other
people to convince her / him that this is
really a big problem.
• While explaining, avoid using absolute
wards such as always late and never in/
on time. These wards are usually
incorrect and invite contradictions.

11. Cont.
Step 5:
• Give her / him time to respond, be a good
listener.
• Do not interrupt even if she utters untruth.
• Do not become defensive or lose your
temper
• Do not quote from policy manuals unless
the employee challenges authenticity of
your charge.

12. Cont.
• Because taking refuse in handbooks
makes you appear weak.
• Do not say the management expects or I
expect……………………