Struggling with Absenteeism and Latecoming? Seeking Effective HR Policies for Improvement

I am an HR professional in an interior designing company. I need good HR practices and policies to implement in my company. Currently, there are several issues regarding absenteeism, latecoming, and irresponsibility. I want to support my company, so please advise if anyone has ideas.

Regards,
Anu

Please let me know your designation and experience level. What you are asking about is a vast subject. Policy development varies from organization to organization and is usually done in consultation with the management. Are you specifically interested in absenteeism/late-coming issues? You can receive help from the forum members if you provide more details about your requirements.

Regards,
Alex

Thanks for your response. I am an HR executive with 2 years of experience, but only 1 year in this company. However, in our company, the HR department is not very effective. I am the first person appointed in the HR department, so I need to work hard. I am trying my best, but I need more knowledge and information to improve our company. I have searched through various sites and books. Not only in terms of absenteeism and late coming, but in all aspects, I want to do something for my company. Please share with me some points from your knowledge that would be helpful for me.

Warm regards,
Anu

The issues that you have written about are a little serious in nature. These issues reflect the kind of organizational culture your company has. It's good to note that you want to bring about positive change. Nevertheless, you will need support from the leadership, or it will be much ado about nothing.

Anyway, please call me on my mobile. I may be able to offer a solution.

Thanks,

Regards,
Dinesh V. Divekar

Dear Anu, the two responses that you have received clearly demonstrate that you have not provided sufficient information about the organization, your role, and the problem. I am not an HR expert; however, I know how to search for information on the web. For example, I found this excellent policy on Absenteeism at Attendance and Punctuality | Policies | Human Resources | Vanderbilt University. Kindly also see Managing absence - reducing and preventing absence, which may give you other ideas. May we know what you mean by "Irresponsibility"?

Many of our senior members have given very useful input. Have you searched the Cite HR archives? Take your requirements one at a time.

Let's Start with Absenteeism

Please see the title bar right above. Type this word inside the "WHAT DO YOU NEED" box above. Then press the research button next to it. You will get a lot of information. You can also refer to related information and download thread articles that you find alongside these columns. This, again, will give you a gamut of information.

With all the information gathered and comparing the one that suits your industry the best in every case, discuss with the experts who have offered to give you their inputs. You will be in a better position to understand and contribute to your company.

Regards,
V. Raghunathan

Since I am from the same industry and have worked with these kinds of employees, I can understand your problem. Basically, people from this industry carry a bag of ego, which in turn comes out as arrogance.

During my early career, I was also in the same situation. Then, slowly, I started studying the behavior of both the organization and individuals. Individuals require motivation, and organizations require certain policies for the development of technical and soft skills.

I have achieved the desired outcome from this experiment, and it will certainly work. Hope you will succeed in this experiment.

Regards,
Ananda Theertha

Please apply a 3-day late 1 CL cut policy for latecomers. For other issues, you need to have strong skills along with polite and firm behavior.

Regards,
Somnath

Do you have the biometric attendance machine or the entry register? Biometric machines make people punctual as you can't modify even a single second in the machine. Secondly, it is rightly pointed out that 3 lates = half day/half CL, and 3 consecutive lates = 1 CL. If you don't have a large manpower, you may announce that zero late throughout the month would result in an extra salary of Rs. 200 or keep anything that adds value.

Talk to them daily, make your rapport with them, and arrange different activities. On any week off, organize a cricket match. Do something to boost morale. It happens only when the morale of the employee is low. ALL THE BEST!

As far as I know, in the manufacturing industry, we often need to prepare flexible policies for issues such as late coming and short leave. Make a policy that is suitable for your organization's culture and discuss it with management, ensuring that it does not affect production.