7. Consider unpaid leave or options to buy more holiday time
Planned absence is always easier for a business to manage than unscheduled absence. Offer employees the opportunity to book unpaid leave up to a maximum number of days or buy additional holidays at the start of the year.

8. Minimise absence by improving their working conditions 
Provide other incentives to encourage good attendance such as pleasant working conditions, ensuring specialist/ergonomic equipment is provided where it is needed or healthcare and counselling facilities.

9. Make controlling absenteeism a business priority
There’s no excuse not to be in control of absence. Business tools are available to control and monitor absence levels and trends – you can even set the parameters to alert you to all unscheduled absence the moment it happens. Not several days after the event.

10. Keep your staff absence policy up-to-date
An absence policy is something that should be reviewed regularly. Collect feedback from employees and update your policy to suit your employee and business needs.

For legal positions on managing absence, you may like to visit the CIPD website to view the Employment Law at Work area.

More managing absence tips