Tackling Absenteeism in Our Factory: How Can We Encourage Better Attendance?

Please provide me with your valuable advice on how to control absenteeism. Employees in our factory frequently take leave without proper reason, especially female employees. Our factory is a part of a Plastic Manufacturing Company that focuses on empowering women. These employees work in the finishing section. However, they have been irregular in their attendance and frequently take leave. Our working hours are from 9 to 6, yet many employees arrive at the company premises at 9:10 or 9:30. We are seeking suggestions to address this issue. Your valuable input will help us bring about a significant change in our factory.

Thank you.

Yes, their comments were missed or arrived late due to issues such as cooking or attending to their children's school activities. However, during the recruitment process, we inquired about their ability to come to work regularly and who would be responsible for looking after their children. Despite their tardiness, we provided extensive counseling, but the problem still persists.

Yes, sir, we are currently implementing an incentive-based pay system.

Thank you.

I think what you have to do first is find out the root cause of the problem of tardiness and absenteeism in your workforce. Is it all about the company, its management, the work itself, and the attitude or behavior of the workers? I would suggest that you have to devote time to call a meeting with the general workforce for a constructive dialogue where you can pinpoint specific problems and formulate specific solutions to those issues. Reiterate to them their importance in the company and that the existence of the company depends solely on their productivity. Their absence and tardiness reduce their productivity and, therefore, the company loses its competitiveness with other companies and will eventually lose the market that the company serves. They may lose their jobs consequently. This may be a good, if not the best step in finding solutions to this problem.

Regards,
NBAton
TNSPI, Phils.

I agree with Mr. NB Aton. Find out the real root cause analysis of absenteeism, as it is detrimental to some companies. Since your company is suffering from absenteeism, the following initiatives can be taken:

1. Implement stern disciplinary action.
2. Distinguish between authorized and unauthorized absenteeism.
3. Identify those who exceed a 50% absenteeism rate.
4. Consider termination for those exceeding a 75% absenteeism rate, and provide a final written warning to the remaining cases.
5. Separate individuals who are ill or medically unfit.
6. Promote voluntary retirement benefits.
7. Explore fresh recruitment opportunities.

Regards,
Mohandas M, Senior Officer - Welfare BZL

If your employees are valuable and you do not want to lose them, then you need to take a different route after finding out the root cause. Counseling employees who are regular absentees helps a lot. Reassure them that the company will look after their needs. The supervisor's rapport with employees needs to be looked into. Stern actions need to be taken on habitual and deliberate absentees only, which must be very few. Please remember absenteeism is infectious. Need to act fast; otherwise, it takes a long time to address the problem.

Yes, it's true that absenteeism is infectious. It's generally because of the lack of discipline among the workers. You can find out the solution after analyzing the main cause of their absenteeism.

You can install a biometric attendance machine for their attendance record; it might help to change the environment.

Alternatively, if this problem is occurring because of female workers only for valid reasons, you can change their working time with the consent of management.

You can schedule a working time chart if workers are in limited numbers or form a group accordingly.

Regards,
Parul

I agree this could not happen on a regular basis. However, we need to find out what the real problem is behind this issue. First, conduct an open mentorship session with your employees. Determine their days off—if it is Sunday, consider organizing important events such as employee motivation sessions or other positive initiatives on Saturdays. These events could be scheduled for 1 to 2 hours every Saturday afternoon. Additionally, arrange some employee welfare activities.

Thank you.

I truly agree with what you said. I work with a manufacturing unit as an HR, and I am facing the same problem. I am counseling the absentees, but there is no change. Another challenge I have encountered is the supervisors' behavior towards the workers. When a worker raises an issue, no action is taken against the supervisor's behavior, leading the worker to either take long, uninformed leaves or leave the job.

What can I do in such a case? If I inform the same to the in charge, they also support the supervisor.

Thanks,

Priya

I truly agree with what you said. Even I work with a manufacturing unit as an HR, and I am facing the same problem. I am counseling the absentees, but there is no change. Another challenge I have encountered is that the supervisors' behavior is not good with the workers. In fact, if a worker raises an issue, no action is taken against the supervisor's behavior, and the worker either takes long, uninformed leaves or leaves the job.

What can I do in such a case? If I inform the same to the in-charge, they also support the supervisor.

Thanks,
Sheryl

Sheryl, supervisors play a very important role in motivating workers and bringing the necessary discipline among them. If a supervisor does not mend his behavior, this indiscipline will only increase. Discussions with supervisors may be initiated on ways to boost confidence among workers. It should also be brought to the notice of the in-charge that until the supervisor mends their ways or is replaced, it would be impossible to stop the indiscipline. However, before any initiatives are taken, it is important to understand the root cause of absenteeism and address those problems as well. Establishing a cordial relationship between workers and supervisory management will go a long way in avoiding such problems in the future.

Best of luck,
Pranab

Using RCA and Pareto Analysis for Absenteeism

Use Root Cause Analysis (RCA) to create a Pareto chart of the causes, then find possible solutions for these causes. Before providing further answers, please share the AB data for the past 3-4 years. This will enable us to suggest better solutions. Additionally, provide us with the monthly unauthorized absence data.

Thanks,
Manish Gupta

Dear Gousalya,

Identifying the root cause and counseling can have some effect. However, in my opinion, an incentive scheme will bring about a significant change.

Recommendation for Attendance Incentive Scheme

I would recommend that you consider a lucrative attendance incentive scheme. I have annexed a suggested attendance incentive format for your perusal. The rules for earning the incentive can be framed by you. The monetary payments are only indicative, and you can modify the cash outflow depending on your company's capacity to pay.

The sheet considers fortnightly eligibility. In other words, you can permit them to avail one day leave in the first half (15 days of the month), in addition to their weekly off. If it exceeds one day, they become ineligible. The same rule is followed for the second half of the month (15-16 days) as the case may be.

If the employee avails two days in either half but still restricts it to two days in a month, even then you can consider granting full attendance incentive as she has not availed more than two days in a month.

If she avails one day in either half and avails more than one day in the other half, she is eligible for the attendance incentive for the period in which she restricted her leave to one day and loses the attendance incentive for the other half.

If she continues to earn the attendance incentive month after month, she gets an increased benefit.

If she loses the attendance incentive during a period, she starts from stage one as you can see from the worksheet. This system has been very effective as it provides extra earnings for them for reporting to work without fail.

You can also include that they will earn the attendance incentive only if they report for work on time (of course, you can consider granting some grace time).

Regards,
M.V. Kannan

Dear Gousalya,

I would like to suggest preparing a questionnaire regarding the same and then starting counseling on those issues. For females, you can give them time flexibility during their periods, as this is also a main cause behind their absenteeism. Additionally, there are already many more schemes available, such as incentives, rewards, etc.

Thank you.