Tackling High Absenteeism in Our Spinning Mill: What Strategies Actually Work?

Addressing Unauthorized Absenteeism in the Spinning Mill

I work in a Spinning Mill as a Personnel Manager. Here, unauthorized absenteeism is high. We have implemented several plans to control absenteeism, such as Attendance Allowance, Best Monthly Attendance Award, Best Yearly Attendance Award, and counseling of absent workers. We have also penalized absent workers; for example, if a worker is absent without notice for more than 10 days and does not have any prior reason for absences, they are then punished by not being assigned duty for 10 days. We also issue a charge sheet for absenteeism according to the Labor Law of Nepal for regularly absent workers. However, there has been no change, and absenteeism occurs regularly.

Prominent Times of Absenteeism

The absenteeism problem is most prominent:

• After Salary Distribution.
• After the leave provided by the company for any festival or celebration such as Dasahara, Chhat, etc.
• After the weekly off day.
• During the farming season (planting & harvesting).
• During the rainy season.
• During the summer season.

Most workers are Indians from the border side (Bihar), and the rest are from nearby locations approximately 50 km from the company. The workforce comprises more than 1,200 workers, with most working for 12 hours per day.

Please suggest ways to overcome this problem.

With Regards,

A. Ray

Dear Akhil,

You had raised your post on the same subject on 29-01-2013. In your post, I had given a detailed reply. The link is as below:

https://www.citehr.com/448902-absent...e-welfare.html

Your earlier post was on a different account. Now it appears that you have created a fresh account on Citehr.

In my above reply, I have written in detail about the causes of absenteeism. After one year and 10 months, you could have written in your post what steps you took to circumvent this issue of absenteeism. It appears that you are where you were in Jan 2013.

Please work on points (h) to (r) given in my above post and come back again.

In your latest post, you have written that workers work for 12 hours. Is this acceptable according to the labor laws of Nepal? Is this a major cause of absenteeism? Have you done an analysis of the cost of absenteeism vis-a-vis the cost of increasing the employee count?

By the way, in most manufacturing companies, employee cost does not exceed more than 10-15% of the total cost. Now suppose if this cost goes up by say 2%, what savings will it accrue? Have you done this study?

Thanks,

Dinesh V Divekar

Your problem is a chronic one. You are doing your best to overcome it. But, bear in mind, it takes time for any change to occur. Such changes cannot happen overnight. You need to continue your efforts to bring about change more rigorously. In a few chronic cases of absenteeism, you should take drastic steps. Consider dismissing the services of a couple of workers. Show firmness and toughness in your actions. When counseling workers, subtly suggest that the company may close all its operations under these circumstances. Paint a clear picture of the repercussions of the company shutting down. Additionally, send well-drafted letters to the families of the workers, explaining the entire scenario in a language they understand well.

The skill of your management will play a vital role in this situation.

All the best to you.

By the time you responded to the post, I also responded and could see your response thereafter. I also noticed that many members have multiple accounts under different names. However, we can only appeal to members not to have more than one account and to cooperate with the site/forum administrators.

Root Causes of Absenteeism

In your response dated January 30, 2013, you correctly listed the root causes of absenteeism. It is essential to identify these root causes and take immediate corrective action. One possible root cause could be the 12-hour duty shifts.

Thank you.

Thank you very much for your response. Actually, a 12-hour work shift is also a major factor contributing to absenteeism. It is not a law in Nepal to force any worker to work for 12 hours. However, if they wish to work for 12 hours, we can provide them with that option, as we are currently doing. There are many problems with skilled workers, and providing a 12-hour shift is becoming a necessity for us. Most of our workers come from a farming background. Please suggest ways to control absenteeism.

Thank you.

Regards,
A. Ray

Dear Mr. Dinesh V Divekar and Mr. Keshav Korgaonkar,

Thank you for your re-suggestion. I missed my previous login ID and password, so I had to create a new login. I apologize for the inconvenience. Could you please suggest how to analyze the cost of absenteeism? I have worked on points (H) and (R). The company has a good brand image in the market, and we do not force workers to do 12-hour shifts. However, for those who are willing to work longer hours, we accommodate them. Despite having trainees, absenteeism remains a major issue here.

With regards,

A. Ray

If you are suggesting that a farming background is one of the root causes, you need to address it. You should make several attempts to integrate them into the industry culture. Offering them higher pay than what they earn from farming may be necessary. Only then can you effectively manage absenteeism.

Understanding Absenteeism in Seasonal Contexts

Problems mentioned are typical in such a scenario. There are several interlinked issues that compel the farm workers to return to their farms. They use this season to attend to their farms and spend time with their families.

The absenteeism after holidays and after wages can also be easily understood. Giving more money would only lead to more wasteful expenditure, such as drinking, and also absenteeism.

You may take up with the company to modify their production plans to cater to this seasonal migration. Regarding absenteeism after holidays, unions and families may be taken into confidence, and payment may be structured so that employees receive only a minimum amount in their hands, with the rest paid to their families periodically, which is beneficial to the families.

As you cannot change the workers' habits in a short span of time, you need to think of innovative ways to overcome the issue. Please don't expect them to become typical Mumbaikars who would go to their workplace come what may.

I suggest interaction with the families and unions of delinquent workers.

The other members have covered most aspects of the situation you mentioned. However, let me focus on a totally different angle.

Understanding Employee Priorities

Basic human nature and psychology dictate that an individual's focus and priorities will always determine the importance they assign to what is offered to them. It hardly matters to employees how many allowances or awards you constitute. Ultimately, their view depends on what they think is important to them, as every individual's point of view could be different.

Addressing the Situation

You mentioned a very minor but salient factor: "We also don't use to force workers to do duty for 12 hours. But who wishes to work for 12 hours duty, we provide them...." Find out more such aspects or factors that they cherish, which the company is extending 'gratis' just to keep them happy. Then link any corrective measure or step to such factors, and at least some employees will get motivated and begin to change. For example, the duty time of 12 hours will be extended to only those who put in a specific number of days without being absent.

Strategic Implementation

In a nutshell, hit them where it hurts most. When those steps begin to show results, it's only then that awards, etc., will begin to improve the overall results. First, raise the base level to acceptable levels. You have been using awards and allowances to raise the base levels, which wouldn't work at all.

In a single line, one can use awards to improve performance from, say, 60% to 70% or higher—surely not from 10% to 90%.

Hope you get the message.

All the best.

Regards,
TS

In addition to the suggestions given by other members, I would like to add one more. Please maintain a register of leave/sick/absenteeism of all the employees. It should represent the number of leaves, number of sick days, and number of absences each employee has had in their service till now, month-wise and category-wise. Identify the top 10 employees who frequently take leaves or are absent from duties and provide them with personal counseling. Give them one or two chances to improve. Some of them will definitely change. For those who do not change, initiate disciplinary action as per the Shops & Establishment Act or as per the standing orders of your company. The action taken by you on those employees should serve as an example to other employees, encouraging them to rectify their behavior.

I hope you will succeed in your efforts to reduce absenteeism to some extent, even if not completely.

Kind regards,
[Your Name]