Dear Friends,
Employees’ absence from workplace is a menace and silent killer in Indian industry.Apart from leaves,weekly offs and holidays, it is unplanned absence of employee which hurts the organization in many ways . The problem is much serious but sadly, has not been viewed and addressed with equal gravity. Though the facility of leaves are much valued by employees when it comes to their satisfaction level in terms of employer branding yet very costly to industry when it is coupled with abrupt absence thus leaving the organization in lurch.
Many studies have indicated that about ten percent of payroll costs are linked to unplanned absence globally. In India it is about 15 to 20 %. Cost leakage due to workforce mismanagement is three times higher than that of globally. The reasons of absence have been repeatedly identified but what is not done is how to tame this problem in constructive way because many feel that negative reinforcement through punishment may not bring desired results.
Is it is question of mindset or of work culture or of work ethics which does not allow employee to treat his unplanned absence a sin or guilt committed towards self development and national growth? When an employee after having 52 weekly offs, about 10 holidays and about 30 leaves which comes to about three months off the work in a year in private sector, absents from work in a unscheduled way, then the issue has to be taken up seriously by the organizations to identify the underlying reasons as it lowers the morale of other sincere workforce. In Govt. and PSUs leaves are much more. Does it also indicate our mindset towards work ?
In many Indian organizations managers don’t appreciate the magnitude of this problem. Actually this problem has been more or less accepted as if beyond their control and they have learnt to live with that. It needs greater focus because not only it impacts the financials of the company but also help deteriorating the work culture and discipline of the workplace.
What is required for the managements to take up this issue on priority, invest in training of frontline managers to manage absence carefully and effectively, initiate proactive measures to identify habitual absentees, do their case studies, analyze the issue and enforce constructive discipline. Reforms are difficult than elimination of such persons though may require at some point of time if do not show sign of improvement.
Business manager-HR magazine Nov. 14 cover story is on this theme.
Employees’ absence from workplace is a menace and silent killer in Indian industry.Apart from leaves,weekly offs and holidays, it is unplanned absence of employee which hurts the organization in many ways . The problem is much serious but sadly, has not been viewed and addressed with equal gravity. Though the facility of leaves are much valued by employees when it comes to their satisfaction level in terms of employer branding yet very costly to industry when it is coupled with abrupt absence thus leaving the organization in lurch.
Many studies have indicated that about ten percent of payroll costs are linked to unplanned absence globally. In India it is about 15 to 20 %. Cost leakage due to workforce mismanagement is three times higher than that of globally. The reasons of absence have been repeatedly identified but what is not done is how to tame this problem in constructive way because many feel that negative reinforcement through punishment may not bring desired results.
Is it is question of mindset or of work culture or of work ethics which does not allow employee to treat his unplanned absence a sin or guilt committed towards self development and national growth? When an employee after having 52 weekly offs, about 10 holidays and about 30 leaves which comes to about three months off the work in a year in private sector, absents from work in a unscheduled way, then the issue has to be taken up seriously by the organizations to identify the underlying reasons as it lowers the morale of other sincere workforce. In Govt. and PSUs leaves are much more. Does it also indicate our mindset towards work ?
In many Indian organizations managers don’t appreciate the magnitude of this problem. Actually this problem has been more or less accepted as if beyond their control and they have learnt to live with that. It needs greater focus because not only it impacts the financials of the company but also help deteriorating the work culture and discipline of the workplace.
What is required for the managements to take up this issue on priority, invest in training of frontline managers to manage absence carefully and effectively, initiate proactive measures to identify habitual absentees, do their case studies, analyze the issue and enforce constructive discipline. Reforms are difficult than elimination of such persons though may require at some point of time if do not show sign of improvement.
Business manager-HR magazine Nov. 14 cover story is on this theme.
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