Whether it’s a planned leave or an unexpected illness, absent employees can wreck havoc on a business. Trying to find someone who has the same skill set and understands that absent employee’s job duties can be a challenge so it’s important for managers to plan for those absences before they happen.
Use these tips to keep your business running smoothly when employees are absent.
Create Accurate Job Descriptions
Nearly all businesses have job descriptions for each employee but how accurate are your job descriptions? As jobs evolve, many businesses forget to update employee duties and are left with a relic of a job that no longer exists. Job descriptions and duties can be a huge help when employees are absent. An accurate job description can help identify parts of that employee’s job that need to be performed until the employee returns and help managers identify other employees who can fulfill those duties in the interim.
One of the best things managers can do to ensure that productivity stays consistent when employees are absent is to annually update all employee records like job descriptions and duties. This can be done during each employee’s annual review and can help identify how the job has changed throughout the year. Ensuring that each employee job description is treated as a living document that’s frequently reviewed and updated as needed can help things run smoothly when employees need time off.
Cross Train Ahead of Absences
When an employee goes out for an extended and unexpected absence, it’s often too late for businesses to fill the gap they leave. Instead, entire departments are left scrambling to fill that person’s job duties with many of those duties falling through the cracks because no one else was trained on that particular task. When the employee returns to work, they face a mountain of work and may even face resentment from co-workers who struggled to learn a new task.
Cross training is absolutely essential for any company, large or small. Every single employee needs a back-up person who is capable of doing their job in the event of an absence or to cover for vacations. Companies who prioritize and make time for this cross training are better able to navigate employee absences and prevent productivity loss due to absence.
Identify Gaps Early
One reason that absent employees cause disruptions in productivity has nothing to do with the absence. More often, managers simply forget to cover for gaps in the schedule, whether it’s because the employee asks for time off at an inopportune time and it never goes on the schedule or another employee who was scheduled to cover also needs the day off. People make mistakes and relying on spreadsheets or written schedules is a recipe for disaster.
Using a workforce manage system and time tracking software that can identify gaps in the schedule can reduce human error and ensure managers don’t accidentally give too many employees the day off. In addition, a workforce management system with accurate job descriptions can suggest employees who would be able to fulfill the job duties of your absent employee. Take the guesswork out of scheduling when employees need time off and use workforce management software to automate the process.
Absenteeism is an inevitability in business. Employees need time off, both expected and unexpected, and smart managers plan ahead for those absences. By maintaining accurate job descriptions, cross training employees so multiple employees can perform the same job, and using workforce management software to automate absences, your business can take absent employees in stride.
