Facing a lot of problem because of workers absenteeism in manufacturing unit

Hi! I am working for a manufacturing unit and we are facing many problems because of workers' absenteeism. We have used different methods to minimize this, like giving attendance bonuses and taking disciplinary action, but we are still facing problems. So, if there are some other methods, can anybody suggest?

Regards,
Prachi.

My understanding of your problem is that even after giving them a bonus, if they are not regular at work, then I don't think they are fit to be an employee. Alternatively, try to identify their real problem for taking regular leaves, such as the distance they have to travel between home and work.

Thank you.

Dear Prachi,

You can organize an orientation program with all workers. We have also faced the same problem, so we made efforts and successfully reduced the rate of absenteeism by:

1. Interacting with individual laborers, giving them at least 5 minutes to hear their problems.
2. Designing a survey format to understand what workers think about their jobs and job responsibilities.
3. Talking with them during Lunch/Tea Hours to ensure production is not affected.
4. Identifying the main drawbacks and analyzing them. Reporting to Senior Management and preparing training programs for workers.

Also, review your compensation structure for workers (Wages + OT + Incentives); you will surely find some solutions.

Thanks,
Surendra Shekhawat

Have you completed the analysis of absenteeism? If yes, what parameters did you consider? Please review my response to the previous post at the following link: https://www.citehr.com/448902-absent...ml#post2020155

Thanks,

Dinesh V Divekar

Assuming that you have undergone the required processes as mentioned above, such as the study and the interaction, all I could suggest is if the situation is still not under control, and where bonuses are not at issue, simply call for a meeting and strictly inform them that they need not continue their employment at the company if they are not interested. The company is happy to recruit a new batch as soon as possible. If the employees are unwilling to submit their resignations, the company will not hesitate to fire them based on their irregularities. If the employees are interested, the company is not willing to review the list of absentees. Do not be too rough; be very strict. Also, ensure the point is subtly made that the firing process is already being considered, and a list is being prepared.

All the best.

Dear All,

Thank you so much for all your inputs and insights. At least, now I am aware of how to move forward. We have a workers' union, so what you have suggested, BSSV, would be a little difficult to do, but anyway, we can always discuss and talk.

I will share my experience (result) once I implement it.

Regards, Prachi.

Sometimes, no technically sound solutions will work as there are always some exceptions to any rule. Only out-of-the-box thinking can truly work. Mine was one such successful idea.

This company had around 25 workers and 7 staff. The general attendance ranged between 16 and 18, with 5 absences. They had tried various incentives, but to no avail.

The study revealed the following:
1. Age was not a reason for absenteeism.
2. 80% of the absentees were married.
3. Travel distance was a significant factor, with a 45% increase in distance.
4. Educational status was consistent among absentees.
5. Behavioral attitude was not a major contributing factor.

Another notable aspect was transportation, where some employees took over 2 hours to reach home, and the incentives in place had not led to any improvement.

At this point, I realized that only moral pressure could potentially change their attitudes, with family pressure being the most effective.

I proposed issuing a small gift each day to the absentees upon leaving work. When the General Manager questioned this approach, I requested a 15-day trial without disclosing my belief.

I enlisted the help of 5 honest workers, without the GM's knowledge, to visit the absentees' homes nearby and inquire about their well-being and how they appreciated the daily gift. This strategy aimed to create familial pressure indirectly.

If the absentees lived farther away, phone calls were made instead.

The ultimate goal was to apply pressure from their loved ones. This approach showed significant improvement, with attendance rising to 10 or 12 within 15 days and eventually reaching 4 to 6 within a month, with a minimum of 3 absences.

Subsequently, the strategy evolved to rewarding full attendance for 4 months with school notebooks or a sari, along with attendance bonuses and a family outing within 100 km annually. The attendance remained stable thereafter.

This is merely a suggestion worth considering. I do not offer any guarantees.

Muthukrishnan

Hello Prachi,

An excellent out-of-the-box thinking solution from Muthukrishnan. More often, emotional and/or psychological pressure works better than money or positions—I have seen people responding more positively to such methods.

But Muthukrishnan, I am sure the giving of sweets daily would have become a habit with the employees, which would have its own backlash if stopped. Did you continue the practice ever since? If not, how did you handle the associated situations?

Regards,
TS

Hi Prachi,

Firstly, you need to manage the organization's system in a proper manner and give equal importance to every employee. Ask every employee and solve their problems. Motivate the employees when they complete their work. Organize some motivational activities so they can increase their interest in the organization.

Dipal Shah

I would say, first, check your leave policy and see if you offer enough leaves to the employees. If not, then make some changes to it. Also, if the leaves are informed, then good; but for uninformed leaves multiple times, you should take strict action such as an initial warning. If the issue persists, then consider termination for such employees.

Hi, even I am curious about the solution for the question raised by Mr. TS. So how did you handle the associated situations later?

While admiring Muthu Krishnan for his success, I have my own apprehensions that such a sweet experiment may leave a bitter taste in the employer's mouth after some time for the following reasons.

1) As Tajsateesh pointed out, once it is stopped after they become regular, the employees may think that they were gaining when they were absent and losing when they are regular and likely to go back to their old behavior.

2) It sends a wrong signal to other employees who are regular and punctual, and the damage will be more if a regular and delinquent employee are neighbors or live in close neighborhood because their families and their children share the information when they meet in the evening for play and chit-chat. The children of the regular employee may think that the father of their friends does not go to the office and yet brings sweets to them in the evening, and our father goes to the office regularly but brings only bitter gourd (Karela) to be a side dish for the meal in the evening.

3) It amounts to pampering a child going errands with chocolate who gets habituated to this practice to bargain for himself more for listening to his parents.

However, I am not to discourage anyone to experiment with his ideas.

In my view, the better and long-lasting solutions to a nagging problem like absenteeism will be:

1) Be careful at the time of recruitment. Look not only for job fit but also look for culture and ethical fit of the employees.

2) Try to engage employees in their work because a disengaged employee may resort to negative behavior as is this.

3) Try to know the reasons for their absenteeism as some learned members suggested and take steps to accommodate the problem of the employees within the framework of the company's policies.

Hope this helps.

B. Saikumar

Hi,

First of all, if you have one-on-one sessions with everyone to gather feedback about situations and policies, ensure that it aligns with their needs. You must manage it according to the company's requirements. Educate them about the difference between the company environment and their home life. Also, create a welcoming atmosphere at work to make them feel at home.

Organizing family gatherings within the company can boost morale among employees and make their families comfortable with the work environment. This approach can help both families and employees better connect with the company.

Identify and fulfill employees' genuine needs to foster loyalty. Team building activities can also enhance employee engagement and collaboration.

I hope these suggestions are helpful!

Regards,
Ram

Dear,

In my knowledge, absenteeism is a major chronic problem in any manufacturing industry. The reason is that without sufficient manpower, we cannot run the plant effectively.

There are two types of measures to reduce absenteeism:

1) Conduct Disciplinary Action.
2) Provide Incentives, whether monetary or non-monetary.

We should take disciplinary actions against workmen prone to absenteeism by issuing memos, show causes, and charge sheets as per the Company certified standing orders. This method can help reduce absenteeism. Another approach is to give incentives to employees who attend their duties without any loss of pay and to organize get-together parties with employees' families.

It is preferable to opt for the second option to reduce absenteeism and create a positive atmosphere in the company.

Thanks,
Rajesh Kantubhukta
Human Resources

Hello Mr. Tajsateesh,

If you go through it again, you will find that the daily process transitions to weekly, monthly, and yearly reviews, of course, after three months. The entire exercise was only to create moral pressure and to show that the company is interested in family welfare as well, provided the employee behaves well. It's a way of showing token appreciation for their participation in the company's well-being and to build closer relationships. Once participation and recognition come, other things become redundant, and nobody bothers about freebies.

Five years have passed now, and I have visited them twice. Once for team building and human relationship training two years ago. The owner was certainly happy and mentioned that he had also changed his views about the employees. The company was running smoothly.

Muthukrishnan

Dear Mr. B. Saikumar,

Employees' attitudes and approaches differ from region to region. I have seen the results for the betterment of the employees and the company after three years, and I am satisfied that with proper channelization, employees are motivated to behave.

As a Law Advisor, I trust that you will agree that Rules and Regulations are mainly meant for the breakers of human behavior. They are in place to protect the victims and act against the violators. Hence, their existence comes into effect whenever there is a violation from either side.

Generally, as HR professionals, we are mostly trained to focus on the positive aspects, with an eye on the rules and regulations. In my experience, most problems get solved by honoring one's self-esteem and giving some recognition.

Of course, I agree that your views cannot be brushed aside by some sections of people from both employees and employers.

Thank you for expressing your views.

Muthukrishnan.

Dear Couvery,

Trust you will excuse me for not having addressed you as Mr. or Mrs. or Ms. since I could not guess. I am 72 years old and a Technical and HR consultant.

I sincerely could not agree with your views for the following reasons:

1. Hiring and firing practices have evolved with increased awareness in the labor force.
2. It is highly challenging to find workers nowadays, and furthermore, it is increasingly difficult to train and retain them (mostly due to government's freebies everywhere).
3. Lifetime employment still holds its appeal, while frequent job changes do not benefit either the employee or the employer.
4. The current legal system neither allows you to die nor to live.

Leadership and Partnership Management through Theory Z alone can yield results in today's environment. There is much more to discuss against termination.

Muthukrishnan

Dear Shri Muthu Krishnan,

Thank you for your response. I cannot discount any effort to motivate an employee to discard his negative behavior, and in your case, you succeeded in your effort, which is why I congratulated you on your success. My concern was only whether this strategy works with everyone. I also agree with your view that the employer should adopt constructive means like counseling, motivation, and dialogue with delinquent employees to wean them away from their negative behavior but not resort to disciplinary action as a first option. Thanks once again for sharing your views.

B. Saikumar
HR & Labor Law Advisor

Addressing Absenteeism in the Industry

Absenteeism is a perennial problem prevailing in the industry. Though there are many ways to control the situation, let's attempt some different approaches. Disciplinary actions can be one measure, but absenteeism still persists. I suggest initiating:

- An open dialogue with the employee.
- Involving family members (meet and talk to them to find out reasons if they are aware of such absenteeism).
- Checking the department/section for any harassment/partiality.
- Ensuring the employee is in the right position based on their aptitude/competency.
- Identifying if training/counseling can improve the situation.
- Verifying if the employee is addicted to liquor or drugs, so that suitable corrective measures can be initiated.

My experience in the industry as the head of HR has enabled me to identify reasons for habitual absenteeism and implement effective measures to improve the situation. I acknowledge that there is no 100% solution.

Hi, Please initiate disciplinary action against absent employees as per the company's Standing Orders. In the meantime, provide proper induction to all employees regarding the consequences of absenteeism, such as bonus deductions, incentive reductions, etc. Additionally, start counseling employees with absenteeism issues and maintain a record of it.

If possible, consider increasing the attendance bonus so employees understand the impact of a single day's absence on their salary. Ensure absenteeism notices for salary deductions are issued regularly.

After all efforts have been made to address the issue, if absenteeism continues, initiate a domestic inquiry based on the served notices and consider termination for habitual offenders.

I hope these points provide helpful input for your actions.